Exploring the potential implications of regularized referrals from the child welfare system to early intervention

This study explored potential impacts on the child welfare and early intervention service systems of a regularized referral offer from child welfare services (CWS) to early intervention (EI) in Massachusetts. Children and families referred to EI from CWS were compared to those referred from sources other than CWS. Because of their environments, children and families who are referred to EI from CWS were expected to differ from those referred to EI from sources other than CWS in how they interact with and use the EI system.; Data came from the Massachusetts Early Intervention Information System. The following five research questions were examined: (1) How many cases were referred from CWS to the Massachusetts EI system; (2) Among cases referred from CWS to EI, how many cases were determined to be eligible for EI services and which eligibility criteria did these cases meet; (3) Among cases referred to EI, do those who are referred from CWS differ from those referred from sources other than CWS; (4) For cases found to be eligible for EI services, within each eligibility category, are there significant differences between those referred from CWS and those referred from sources other than CWS; and (5) Among cases referred to EI from CWS, do those who are referred because of a mandatory referral offer differ from other cases.; The study found (1) children referred to EI from CWS differ in how they interact with the EI system as compared to children referred to EI from other sources; (2) for CWS referred cases over 85% are eligible for EI services, including three-fourths because of developmental delays and over 50% because of environmental and familial risk factors; and (3) over 80% of eligible CWS referred cases have competed service plans.; The results of this dissertation show that young children involved with the CWS system are at developmental risk. This suggests that the CWS system needs to go beyond ensuring the physical safety of children to also focus on developmental risks. The EI system needs to review how it interacts with the CWS population, and consider how to best engage and serve these families and children. EI needs to address not only the delays of CWS referred children, but also the underlying causes as it attempts to support these children and their families.