Early Steps Programs
Early Steps is Florida's early intervention system that offers services to eligible children, birth to thirty-six months, with significant developmental delays or a condition likely to result in a developmental delay. Early intervention is provided to support families and caregivers in developing competence and confidence to help their child learn and develop.
Services are based on Early Steps evaluations and your family's concerns, resources, and goals. Early Steps uses a Team-Based Primary Service Provider approach to empower each eligible family by providing a comprehensive team of professionals from the beginning of services through the transition. Our goal is for the family to receive strong support from one person, provide a comprehensive team of professionals from beginning to end, and for the family to have fewer appointments and more time to be a “family.” Services are provided to the family and child where they live, learn, and play, to enable the family to implement developmentally appropriate learning opportunities during everyday activities and routines. Most services will be early intervention for home visits. Click on the link below for a short video that demonstrates and explains early intervention home visits.
Features of Early Steps:
- Brings services into the child's life rather than fitting the child into services.
- Maximizes each child's everyday natural learning opportunities.
- Enhances each child's development and participation in community life.
- Provides each child with a consistent team for services.
- Gives families options in service decisions and encourages active partnerships.
- Provides a Primary Service Provider to work with your family, other caregivers, and the Team.
Easterseals Florida is home to two of Florida's Early Steps Programs.
- Treasure Coast Early Steps (TCES) provides early intervention services to children and their families residing in Palm Beach, Marin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties.
- Southernmost Coast Early Steps (SMCES) provides early intervention services to children and their families residing in South Miami Dade and Monroe Counties.
To make a referral to TCES, please Contact Us.
To make a referral to SMCES, please Contact Us.
