Caregivers must: 

• take a child for a developmental screening if she: 
  • has just entered foster care; or 
  • is referred by the HealthWorks primary physician; or 
  • seems somewhat behind in development. 
• work with the caseworker to enroll the child in a preschool support program, if needed; 
• support the child’s participation in home-based or community-based programs; and  
• participate in the development and implementation of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), if the child is found eligible for early intervention services or an IEP if the child is eligible for pre-special education services.

According to DCFS Policy, all children aged three to five years old must be enrolled in a preschool program. The first choice of programs for children should be the Head Start program. DCFS and Head Start have entered into an agreement to give children in foster care priority enrollment. Children with disabilities or at risk of school failure should be enrolled in Early Childhood Special Education or a pre-K at-risk program through the local school district. Check with your caseworker for availability of programs. If no publicly funded program is available, check with your caseworker about getting payment for an accredited preschool program.

Section 6, Page 10