As a professional who works with young children, you know how early detection of delays and disabilities can change the course of a child's whole life. But in today's communities, many programmes and providers still struggle to coordinate their screening efforts so children who need services don't slip through the cracks. Integrated, community-wide screening and early detection/child find systems are the answer—and this is the first book with the systematic, big-picture guidance and specific information you need to develop your own system or strengthen and refine your existing system.

Developed by early childhood, medical, and social service experts in screening and assessment, this groundbreaking book helps your community establish an effective early detection system that's comprehensive and low-cost; encourages close collaboration among health, social service, and educational agencies; and meets each child's whole continuum of needs, from universal screening to community services. You'll get detailed guidance on 6 key components of successful community-wide early detection:

Programme goals
Community public awareness
Centralised contact and referral
Developmental-behavioural screening system
Follow-up
Ongoing programme evaluation

You'll also discover the critical foundations and procedures for:connecting everyone who screens children across settings into a single unified system
ensuring that all parts of the system align and work seamlessly together
selecting and using the best developmental and behavioural screening measures
monitoring your system so that all parts keep functioning smoothly and children get the services they need
improving screening and referrals across diverse settings: early childhood education, social service, and medical home settings
With this adaptable, integrated plan for early detection/child find, your community will ensure that delays are caught quickly and all young children and their families get the services and supports they need to thrive.