Special Needs Child Find

Union County School System Child Find Procedures

One in ten of Georgia’s children have a sensory, emotional, physical, intellectual, or language disability that may inhibit learning. Many of these disabilities are so subtle that they go unnoticed. As a result, children may have trouble in school, at home, and with other children. The earlier these disabilities are discovered and identified, the more effectively they can be managed, giving the child every chance to be successful in life.

The Union County School System has a mission, mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), to locate, identify, and evaluate each child from birth through 21 years of age with a suspected disability, and to provide appropriate educational services to these children throughout our county. This is for all children, whether in public, private, or home school, incarcerated, homeless, migrant, etc., as long as they reside in Union County. We need your assistance to find these children so they can receive the help they need to enjoy a more successful life experience.
Once a child’s disability is identified and evaluated, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) can be created to meet that child’s specific and unique educational needs. For more information and assistance with free educational services that are available for children with disabilities, call the Union County Schools Special Education Department at 706- 745-2322.

*Refer to State Board Rule Child Find 160-4-7-.03

Babies Can't Wait (BCW) is Georgia's statewide interagency service delivery system for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. BCW is established by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which guarantees all eligible children, regardless of their disability, access to services that will enhance their development. This program serves children from birth to age 3. For more information visit http://health.state.ga.us/programs/bcw/.

Many children are born with or acquire physical and/or mental conditions which handicap their normal growth and development. Fortunately, many of these conditions can be helped or completely corrected if parents and others recognize the problem early and seek help. You can prevent an unnecessary life-long handicap by recognizing and dealing with a child’s problem as early as possible. Anyone can help us identify children with special needs, including parents, foster parents, grandparents, teachers, doctors, nurses, counselors, social workers, day care providers, and community members. If you know of a child in Union County from birth through age 21 who has special needs, please let us know so we can get them the help they need to enjoy a brighter future. Contact the Union County Schools Special Education Department at 706-745-2322.

Union County Special Education January 2012