Delaware Part C Plan: How Early Intervention Works for Infants and Toddlers

When families refer to a "Delaware Part C plan," they usually mean an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) — the document that sets out early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities from birth until the child's third birthday. If your child has been referred to Delaware's Child Development Watch program, the IFSP identifies which services your child receives, how often, and where. Understanding how the IFSP works, what you can request, and where the system tends to fall short gives you significantly more control over your child's early development than waiting for the system to guide you through it.

Every state runs its own Part C early intervention program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Delaware's program is administered by the Department of Health and Social Services' Division of Public Health through Child Development Watch. Virginia runs its program through the Infant & Toddler Connection, and Nebraska through the Early Development Network under Nebraska Department of Education Rule 52 and Department of Health and Human Services 480 NAC 1. The federal framework is the same across all three states — Part C of IDEA — but each state makes its own decisions about eligibility criteria, service delivery models, and timelines.

Virginia Part C Plan: Infant & Toddler Connection

Virginia's Part C program is the Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia, administered through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. The plan for an eligible child and family is also an IFSP, with supports chosen around the child's needs and the family's routines.

Virginia eligibility may be based on a developmental delay of at least 25% in one or more developmental areas, atypical development or behavior, or a diagnosed physical or mental condition with a high probability of causing developmental delay. For a new referral, Virginia generally requires the eligibility evaluation, child-and-family assessment, and initial IFSP meeting within 45 days, with documented exceptions for circumstances such as unavailable families or delayed consent. Contact the local Infant & Toddler Connection system for the referral process and the details that apply to your child's IFSP.

Nebraska Part C Plan: Early Development Network

Nebraska's Early Development Network (EDN) is a partnership among families, the Nebraska Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and community agencies. Eligibility is determined by a multidisciplinary team under Rule 52, section 006; the resulting plan is an IFSP.

Nebraska's EDN guidance says the evaluation, child-and-family assessment, eligibility decision, and initial IFSP meeting generally take place within 45 calendar days of referral, subject to documented exceptions. EDN describes its services as voluntary and free, and services are provided in natural environments whenever appropriate. Nebraska's family guide also says a family may choose to remain in EDN until August 31 after the child's third birthday; confirm the current transition option with the service coordinator because the exit and preschool process is state-specific.

How a Child Qualifies for Part C in Delaware

Delaware's published eligibility guidance describes several routes to Part C eligibility:

Established condition. A child with a diagnosed physical or mental condition on Delaware's established-condition list, or a condition likely to result in developmental delay, may qualify through that condition. The program still makes the eligibility determination, so ask Child Development Watch how medical records will be used.

Developmental delay. Child Development Watch considers significant delay in one or more of five developmental areas: cognitive, physical, communication, social-emotional, or adaptive development. Delaware's guidance also identifies clinical judgment as part of the eligibility process, so families should not assume that a single numeric cutoff is the universal rule.

A parent or another professional or caregiver who knows the child can contact Child Development Watch about a referral. Delaware's published materials state that the multidisciplinary evaluation is provided at no cost to families. Payment arrangements for ongoing services can vary, including insurance and family cost-share rules, so confirm those arrangements with Child Development Watch rather than assuming every service is free.

The Referral and Evaluation Process

Once a referral is made to Child Development Watch, the initial evaluation, child-and-family assessment, eligibility process, and first IFSP meeting generally must be completed within 45 calendar days. This is a federal Part C timeline, not a Delaware-only rule, and it applies in every state with documented exceptions — including exceptional family circumstances or a delay in obtaining required parental consent.

The evaluation is multidisciplinary and must be conducted by qualified personnel appropriate to the child's needs. Depending on the areas of concern, the evaluation team may include a developmental specialist, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, or psychologist. The family also provides information about the child's development and daily routines.

If the evaluation determines the child is eligible, a service coordinator is assigned and the IFSP meeting is scheduled. If the child is not found eligible, ask for the decision and its explanation in writing and review Delaware's Part C procedural-safeguard and dispute-resolution options; the available process is state-specific.

What the IFSP Contains

The IFSP is the Part C equivalent of an IEP, but it is structured differently. It is a family-centered and child-focused document. The plan must include:

• Present levels of development in all five developmental areas (cognitive, physical, communication, social-emotional, adaptive)
• Family concerns, priorities, and resources — the IFSP asks what the family needs, not just what the child needs
• Measurable outcomes — what the family and team expect to achieve, written in functional terms (e.g., "the child will use 10 words to communicate needs during daily routines")
• Early intervention services to be provided, including the length, duration, frequency, intensity, method, and location of each service
• Natural environments statement — services should be provided in the child's natural environment to the maximum extent appropriate; if another setting is chosen, the IFSP must include a justification
• Service coordinator name and contact information
• Transition plan — the steps and services that will support the child's move from Part C to Part B or another appropriate program

The IFSP is reviewed every six months, or more often if conditions warrant or the family requests it, and evaluated and revised at least annually. An annual review does not necessarily mean a completely new eligibility evaluation. Parents can request a review at any time if circumstances change.

Services Typically Provided Under Part C

The specific services a child receives depend on the IFSP team's determination, but common Part C services in Delaware include:

• Speech-language therapy — supporting communication development
• Occupational therapy — addressing fine motor skills, sensory processing, and adaptive behavior
• Physical therapy — for gross motor delays
• Developmental intervention — a generalist service that addresses cognitive, social-emotional, and adaptive development through coaching the family on strategies to use during everyday routines
• Assistive technology — devices or services that help the child participate in daily activities
• Family training and counseling — helping parents understand their child's development and implement strategies at home

Services are delivered by qualified providers. Delaware materials specifically state that CDW evaluations are provided at no cost; the IFSP should identify payment arrangements for services, if any. Ask how public or private insurance and any family cost-share rules apply to your situation.

Where the System Falls Short

Service coordination quality varies. The service coordinator is supposed to be the family's single point of contact — coordinating evaluations, scheduling services, and helping ensure the IFSP is implemented. In practice, some families report that their service coordinator is responsive and proactive, while others find the coordinator difficult to reach or unfamiliar with the family's situation. If your service coordinator is not returning calls or following through on the IFSP, ask CDW about escalation or reassignment options.

Natural environment requirements can feel limiting. Part C generally favors services in the child's natural environment — such as home or child care — to the maximum extent appropriate. Some families feel that their child would benefit from clinic-based services, particularly for intensive therapies. If the team determines that a non-natural environment is necessary for a specific service, the IFSP should document the justification.

Frequency of services may not match what the family expects. Parents sometimes expect Part C services to look like private therapy — multiple sessions per week of direct, hands-on intervention. Many early-intervention providers use coaching and routines-based services, but the method, frequency, and location should be individualized in the IFSP. A child might receive speech therapy once a week for 45 minutes, but that is only an example, not a Delaware-wide standard.

Evaluation timelines can slip. The 45-day timeline has limited, documented exceptions, but delays can still happen — particularly when specialized evaluators are in short supply or when scheduling conflicts arise. If the deadline passes without an IFSP meeting and no exception explains the delay, put a written request to the service coordinator and, if necessary, contact Child Development Watch's central office to escalate.

Your Rights Under Part C

Federal Part C provides procedural safeguards that overlap with, but are distinct from, Part B. State procedures and contacts vary. Common safeguards include:

• Prior written notice before the program changes, reduces, or ends services
• Informed consent required before evaluations, assessments, and services begin
• Right to decline services — you can accept some IFSP services and decline others without jeopardizing other services you have accepted
• Mediation, state complaints, and due process — if you disagree with an evaluation, eligibility determination, or services offered, Part C provides dispute-resolution routes, subject to state procedures
• Right to review records — you can inspect and receive copies of your child's early-intervention records and use the applicable process to request corrections

Virginia families working with the Infant & Toddler Connection and Nebraska families working with the Early Development Network use the same federal framework, but the state agencies and local procedures differ.

What Happens at Age Three

Part C generally serves children until age three, but the exact exit date and any continuation option vary by state. Before exit, the IFSP must include transition steps and services that prepare the family for what comes next. When a child may be eligible for preschool special education under Part B, the Part C program generally must provide the required notification or referral and, with the family's approval, coordinate a transition conference at least 90 days before the third birthday; the conference may be planned up to nine months beforehand when the parties choose. If the child is not eligible for Part B services, the transition plan should identify other community resources. Nebraska, for example, describes an option to remain in EDN until August 31 after the third birthday.

The Part C to Part B transition can be a point where families experience a gap in services. Start asking about transition planning when your child is around two years old — do not wait until the program raises it.

Getting the Most From Your Child's Part C Plan

The families who get the most from early intervention tend to do a few things consistently:

Attend every IFSP meeting prepared. Bring notes on what your child is doing at home — new words, new skills, behaviors that concern you, strategies that are working, strategies that are not. The IFSP team makes decisions based on what they know, and you know your child's daily life better than anyone on the team.

Ask for specifics in the IFSP. "Speech therapy" is not enough. The IFSP should specify the frequency (e.g., once per week), the duration (e.g., 45 minutes per session), the method (e.g., individual, parent coaching), and the setting. Vague language can make it harder to tell whether the plan is being implemented as agreed.

Request a review if things change. If your child's needs change between the scheduled six-month reviews — a new diagnosis, a regression, a significant change in family circumstances — you can request an IFSP review at any time.

Keep copies of everything. The IFSP, evaluation reports, progress notes, and correspondence with the service coordinator. You will need this documentation when your child transitions to Part B, and you may need it if you ever disagree with a decision and want to pursue dispute resolution.

The Delaware IEP & Special Education Advocacy Playbook at /us/delaware/advocacy/ walks through both the Part C system and the transition to school-age services, with checklists for each stage so nothing falls through the cracks.

Eligibility, services, and transition details are state- and family-specific. Confirm current program guidance before relying on a deadline or assuming that a service will continue.

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