Early Intervention Wee School Home | Shelby County Board of Developmental Disabilities

We believe that Early Intervention programming should provide a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the development of children. We further believe that play is the work of children. Young children learn best when given the opportunities to select activities that encourage interactive play within a teacher-planned environment. Therefore, play is used as a method for accomplishing early intervention goals and objectives.

Our center-based program provides opportunities for children to learn together in an integrated setting which provides opportunities for learning by assisting a student to develop physically, emotionally, socially and mentally to their fullest potential. Differing levels of ability are expected, appreciated and used to design learning experiences.

To be eligible for early intervention services, a child must be under three years of age and found to have a delay in at least one developmental area.

Eligibility determination begins once a family is referred to the Wee School. A play-based assessment of the child will be conducted by a team of Wee School staff. The team evaluates the child's development in all major areas including communication, social-emotional/behavioral functioning, motor functioning, cognitive abilities, adaptive behavior, vision abilities and hearing abilities. A delay in at least one of these areas would be necessary for enrollment.

All children who receive early intervention services are also involved with Shelby County's Help Me Grow program, the central intake and referral agency for infants and toddlers.