Early Childhood Tracking - the purpose of this program is to monitor, or 'track', children who are at-risk of developmental delays. Children may be at-risk due to biological factors, for example, they were premature, low birth-weight or had problems during birth. They may have some type of known genetic disorder, such as Down syndrome, or they may have a chronic illness. A child may also be at-risk because of developmental factors such as performing far below their age group on screening tests. Children may also be considered at-risk due to home environment factors. These can include having a mother under age 17 , substance abuse, neglect or parents' significant concerns about the child's development.
Children in the tracking program should receive regular screening. If the results of the screening are poor enough to cause concerns about developmental delay or disability, the child would be referred for further testing for a possible diagnosis of disability.
Head Start is a program that assists social and cognitive development of young children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services. Head Start serves children from age three through five years. Early Head Start programs serve children from birth through three. This type of developmental stimulation is especially important for children with disabilities and developmental delay. Many reservations have a waiting list for Head Start and not all children can be served before they enter school. IMPORTANT: Head Start is required by law to serve 10% children with disabilities, regardless of income. BE SURE when you apply for the Head Start program that they are aware that your child has a disability. If your child is put on a waiting list for Head Start, call the program and ask if they were aware that your child has a disability. Even if you wrote your child's disability on the application, the staff may have overlooked this fact.
Even Start - is a program that provides early childhood, adult education and parent education. Unfortunately the number of Even Start programs funded on reservations is declining.
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