Can we help? Babies and toddlers, birth to 3
Also see: ages 3 and older
Every child grows at their own pace. Some children need extra help to learn new skills. The sooner a child gets help, the better. If you are worried about how your child is growing, talk to your child's doctor. You can also contact us.
Our program for babies and toddlers is called Early Start.
Who can get Early Start
Children from birth to 36 months can get Early Start. We first check how your child is doing. Then your child must meet 1 of these 3 rules.
Rule 1: Your child is behind in their development
Your child is at least 25% behind what is expected for their age, in at least 1 of these areas:
- Thinking and learning
- Talking
- Understanding what others say
- Feelings and getting along with others
- Everyday skills, like eating and dressing
- Moving, seeing and hearing
Rule 2: Your child has a condition that often causes delays
Your child has a diagnosed condition with a known cause. This kind of condition is very likely to lead to delays.
Rule 3: Your child has several health risks
A qualified professional has found several health risks in your child. Together, these risks make a serious developmental disability very likely.
You also need to live in our area
We serve part of Los Angeles County. Check the list of cities and ZIP codes we serve. If you live somewhere else, we will help you find your regional center.
Who can ask us for help
Anyone can tell us about a child who may need help. This can be a parent, a guardian, a doctor, a neighbor, a family member, a foster parent or a child care provider.
We need permission from the parent or legal guardian. A court or the Department of Children and Family Services can also ask us to do an evaluation.
What happens next
Applying is free. You can apply no matter what your citizenship status is. We will tell you our decision within 45 days.
For the details: what the law says
- Early Start eligibility is set by Section 95014 of the California Government Code.
- SB 188 (Chapter 49, Statutes of 2022), effective June 30, 2022, expanded who can get Early Start.
- The program’s full name is the California Early Intervention Services Act.
- Live outside our area? Use the DDS Regional Center Lookup.
Links to each source are on the current page (on the current WRC website); the built page links them directly.
“A diagnosed condition with a known cause” is our plain reading of “established risk conditions of known etiology”. “Several health risks” is our reading of “a combination of biomedical risk factors”. WRC’s Early Start clinicians confirm the wording before it is published.