Early Intervention Services

(Children ages Birth to 5 years of age)

The Early Intervention Program provides specialized services to children who are visually impaired ages birth to five and their families throughout  Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware Counties. We encourage these children to explore their environments through play and functional activities, and we empower their families with the knowledge and resources needed to be advocates for their children.

Early Intervention Services During COVID-19 Infant/Toddler and Preschool

• Connect with your local program by calling your Service Coordinator or Local EI Program Representative
• Call the CONNECT Helpline: 1-800-692-7288
• If you are unable to connect with your EI program, or you have difficulty starting Tele-Intervention services: Email the Office of Child Development and Early Learning for more information or questions.

View the brochure with this information

Early Intervention (Birth-3 years)

Early Intervention Campus-based (3-5 years)

Early Intervention Community-based (3-5 years)

Birth to three services are typically provided in the home with parents, and three to five community-based services are provided in preschool or daycare settings. In addition, Overbrook offers pre-school services for ages 3-5 on its Philadelphia campus.

Connecting and Supporting Families

In addition to in-home and school-based education and therapies, the EIO and Early Childhood programs include outings and activities to help families understand their child’s needs in a community setting. Outings are also designed for families to socialize with each other so that they can form supportive relationships with others in the program. Families take part in events at the Philadelphia Zoo, Please Touch Museum, Play & Arts Philadelphia, Springbrook Farm, Lulu's Casita, Linvilla Orchards, Smith Playground, Longwood Gardens, Elmwood Park Zoo, Morris Arboretum, the Tyler Arboretum and more. They also have opportunities to participate in OSB’s family events on campus during the school year.

Every aspect of EIO is carefully designed to support the needs of the students and their families. Through a focus on family, social interaction and supplying important resources, the result is a major impact on early learning and a foundation to set students up for a successful future.

 In every state, young children can get early intervention help if they have developmental delays or specific health conditions, such as blindness or visual impairment.

• Early Intervention helps children meet developmental milestones and Overbrook School for the Blind provides Early Intervention Services for children diagnosed with visual impairment or suspected vision issues.
• Early Intervention services are provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Through grants to each state from the federal government, children who qualify may receive services free of charge.
• An evaluation can confirm whether your child is eligible.

If you’re concerned your young child may have a developmental delay or a suspected visual impairment, you may be curious about early intervention services. Early intervention can help infants and toddlers make big strides. 

ELIGIBILITY, IFSPs, Evaluation, AND Measuring Achievement

All families involved with the Early Intervention Services Program have an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) that designates goals for the child, outlines strategies to achieve the goals, and tracks ongoing progress. The IFSP, a family driven, state document, is tailored to each family’s needs. An IFSP is both a process and a document and is provided if your child is found eligible for early intervention services. 

The teacher gives a detailed presentation of the child’s progress with quarterly updates and annual meetings. Quarterly updates, along with keeping weekly records of progress, ensure that children are constantly evaluated and their needs are being met. The annual meeting helps determine if the long-term goals have been reached, surpassed, or if the achievement has fallen short. It also evaluates the child’s performance in five domains: cognitive, social, physical, fine motor skills and communication. At the annual meeting, the child’s goals are re-evaluated and his or her functional vision is assessed. The IFSP can then be updated and new goals set for upcoming lessons.