Resources for Parents and Families

ESCE Acronyms

A list of commonly used acronyms in early childhood special education

Answers 4 Families

Nebraska’s Support and Information Connection for Families

Department of Education: IDEA

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation.

Developmental Milestones

Every child is unique and differences in their rate of development can be expected. However, there are some guidelines to help parents and professionals determine how a child compares with others their age.

IFSP Web

Everything about IFSPs

Nebraska Child Find

Nebraska Department of Education

Special Education Rules, Regulations and Legal Issues

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Professional organization which promotes excellence in early childhood education.

Family, Infant and Preschool Program

The Family, Infant, and Preschool Program (FIPP) is an early childhood and family support program working with women who are pregnant and children birth through five years of age and their families in western North Carolina. FIPP works in partnership with families using family-centered practices, based on respect for families’ beliefs and values, as well as their cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Nebraska Early Development Network

The Nebraska Early Development Network provides services and supports that are designed based on the needs of children birth to age three and their families with the belief that parents know what is best for their families. The goal of the Early Development Network is to provide coordinated services for Nebraska families as conveniently as possible. The program helps families to understand their child’s disability and provides assistance in dealing with situations that interfere with the child’s development.

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

Search for Child Care Providers. Information provided includes:

  • Name of licensed childcare/preschool program and name of licensee
  • Address of licensed child care/preschool programs
  • License capacity, hours and days of operation, whether or not the child care program accepts Child Care Subsidy
  • Is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children or the National Association for Family Child Care
  • Type of Facility

Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children

TACSEI, the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children takes the research that shows which practices improve the social-emotional outcomes of young children with, or at risk for delays or disabilities, and creates free products and resources to help decision makers, caregivers, and services providers to provide these best practices in their work.

Building Better Brains

A short video on building a solid foundation for brain development, especially in the presence of toxic stress.

Nebraska Resource and Referral System

Statewide database allowing users to more easily locate and compare services of local and state agencies.

PTI Nebraska

PTI Nebraska is a statewide resource for families of children with disabilities or special health care needs, enabling parents to have the capacity to improve the education and healthcare outcomes for their children.

Siskin Children's Institute

The Siskin Children’s Institute is a non-profit organization based in Chattanooga, Tennessee that helps children with special needs, families and professionals through four centers: education, outreach, health care and research.

Step Up To Quality Program Ratings

Step Up to Quality, Nebraska’s Quality Improvement Rating system is a program that helps families identify early childhood providers who demonstrate a commitment to quality care. Step Up to Quality programs go beyond what is required because they strive to do better for their children’s and families’ futures.

Nebraska Verification Criteria

The verification process is the means for determining those children who are in need of EDN/special education services.  This site will illustrate the various criteria that evaluation teams use when determining verification.

The Early Childhood Outcomes Center

The Early Childhood Outcomes Center seeks to promote the development and implementation of child and family outcome measures for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities.

The Division for Early Childhood (DEC)

DEC mission is to promote policies and advance evidence-based practices to support the optimal development of young children with special needs.

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age five. CSEFEL is a national resource center funded by the Office of head Start and Child Care Bureau for disseminating research and evidence-based practices to early childhood programs across the country.

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center

Serves Part C-Infant and Toddlers with Disabilities Programs and Part B-Section 619 Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities in all 50 states and 10 jurisdictions to improve service systems and outcomes for children and families.