Child Find
Child Find Procedures
Dorchester School District Four (DD4) has several policies and procedures in effect to ensure that the school district will locate, evaluate, and identify all children residing in the county with disabilities who may be in need of special education and related services. This includes all children ages 3 to 21 who attend public or private schools, those who are homeschooled, and those who are homeless or state wards. This mandate includes students who may need special education services even if they advance from grade to grade. The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is made available to all eligible students with disabilities.
Child Find Activities implemented in DD4 include identifying, locating, and evaluating children who may need special education and related services. Additionally, DD4’s Child Find includes identifying, locating, and evaluating children suspected of having a disability and in need of special education, even if they are advancing from grade to grade, and highly mobile children, including migrant children.
Child Find Process
Dorchester School District Four (DD4) accepts Child Find referrals at any time; however, we also run scheduled Child Find clinics on the last Friday of every month by appointment. Anyone wishing to schedule an appointment needs to call our office at (843) 636-5022.
If the child is enrolled in a Dorchester School District Four school, a separate Child Find outside of the school is NOT needed. The child’s teacher/school should be contacted with any concerns.
What areas of concern are assessed through the Child Find process?
• Academic Readiness Skills
• Achievement Skills
• Cognitive Ability
• Communication/Speech/Language
• Hearing
• Vision
• Motor Skills
• Social/Emotional and Behavioral Skills
• Daily Living Skills
What should I bring to the appointment?
Bring any recent private evaluations that have not already been provided.
How long is a Child Find appointment?
Initial appointments last approximately 1 hour.
Some children will be referred for a follow-up appointment if needed. These appointments will range from 45 minutes to 2 hours.
What happens after my initial Child Find appointment?
A team of Child Find evaluators will provide you with the next steps following your appointment based on your child’s individual needs.
Possible next steps could include recommendations or a follow-up Child Find appointment for further evaluation.
Please complete the Child Find referral form using the link below. If you need any assistance completing the form, please contact the Department of Exceptional Children at (843) 636-5022.