What is Child Find?
Child Find is the process of identify¬ing, locating and evaluating children with disabilities who may be in need of special education and related services.
Why is there Child Find?
Both state and local educational agen¬cies are given the responsibility by federal and state laws to conduct child find activities so that children who need special services have the opportunity to receive those services.
What is the purpose of Child Find?
- To promote public awareness of disabilities.
- To alert parents, professionals, and the public to children who may have special needs.
- To assist school districts in finding children who may have disabilities and who otherwise may not have come to the district’s attention.
- To enable children and families to receive the special education and related services that they need.
What is a disability?
For ages Birth to 3 – An established condition known to result in delay, or a documented developmental delay. For ages 3 to 5 – A documented deficit in one of more of the following developmental areas: communication, vision, hearing, motor skills, social emotional/behavioral functioning, self-help skills, and/or cognitive skills. For ages 5 through 21 – Identification of one or more of the following condi¬tions: autism, deaf-blindness, hearing impairment including deafness, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and/or visual impairment includ¬ing blindness.
If you know a child who may have special needs, help is available. Call your local school district or your area special education regional resource center (SERRC) at the number below:
OHDELA – Main Office
330-253-8680
121 S. Main St. Suite 102
Akron, Ohio 44308
Central Ohio SERRC
614-262-4545
Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, Union
North East Ohio SERRC
330-394-0310
Ashtabula, Mahoning, Trumbull
Northern Ohio SERRC
440-967-8355
Erie, Huron, Lorain
Cuyahoga SERRC
440-885-2685
Cuyahoga
Northwest Ohio SERRC
419-833-6771
Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams
East Central Ohio SERRC
330-343-3355
Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Muskingum, Noble,
Tuscarawas Wood
East Shore SERRC
440-256-8483
Geauga, Lake
Pilasco-Ross SERRC
740-354-4526
Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto
Hopewell SERRC
937-393-1904
Adams, Brown, Clinton, Fayette, Highland
Southeastern Ohio SERRC
740-594-4235
Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Perry, Vinton, Washington
Lincoln Way SERRC
330-875-2423
Columbiana, Stark, Wayne
Southwestern Ohio SERRC
513-563-0045
Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Warren
Miami Valley SERRC
937-236-9965
Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble
West Central Ohio SERRC
419-738-9224
Allen, Auglaize, Champaign, Hardin, Logan, Mercer, Shelby
Mid-Eastern Ohio SERRC
330-929-6634
Medina, Portage, Summit
North Central Ohio SERRC
419-747-4808
Ashland, Crawford, Knox, Marion, Morrow, Richland, Wyandot
