Service Coordination in Early Intervention - Division for Early Childhood and IDEA Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association Joint Position Statement - December 2020

Oct 15, 2026

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Joint position statement from DEC (Division for Early Childhood) and ITCA (IDEA Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association) explaining why service coordination is essential within early intervention (EI). It argues that service coordinators need defined knowledge, skills, administrative support, professional development, and resources to deliver high-quality services to children and families. It endorses using KSSC to align hiring and training, calls for evidence-informed development, and urges state and local leaders to support compensation, workload alignment, and team-wide recognition of coordination’s mandated role under IDEA Part C.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Service Coordination in Early Intervention

Collaborative Rationale and Professional Supports

Endorsement of KSSC and Professional Development

Call to Action

Service Coordination in Early Intervention Division for Early Childhood and IDEA Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association Joint Position Statement Service Coordination in Early Intervention Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and IDEA Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA) December 2020 The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the IDEA Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA) collaborated on this joint position statement to acknowledge the importance of early intervention (EI) service coordination and recognize the expertise and needs of the professionals who provide this service. Because of the complex nature of service coordination and the essential role of service coordinators in the EI process (Bruder et al. , 2005; Childress, Nichols, & Schnurr, 2019; West, Duggan, Gruss, & Minkovitz, 2018), it is the position of the DEC and ITCA that service coordinators must have the knowledge, skills, administrative support, professional development, and resources they need to provide the highest quality services to children and families. Service coordinators in the United States and in international programs need administrative support and supervision from leaders who understand their role and appreciate the distinct responsibilities of the position. While decisions about hiring, compensation, and the numbers of families served per service coordinator are often made at the local program level, leaders must take into consideration the complexity of the work and the specialized knowledge and skill set necessary to support the unique population of families of infants and toddlers with delays or disabilities. With those considerations in mind, it is imperative that compensation and the workload required of service coordinators reflect the significant demands faced by these professionals. The DEC and ITCA also endorse the use of the guidance document, Knowledge and Skills for Service Coordinators (KSSC; see Appendix A; Workgroup on Recommended KSSC, 2020) by state and local programs to ensure consistency in the hiring and training of service coordinatorsin early intervention. To address learning needs of both new and experienced service coordinators, state and local programs are urged to prioritize high-quality, evidence-informed professional development so service coordinators can gain the knowledge and skills needed to effectively collaborate with families; manage the workload; achieve compliance with federal, state, and local requirements; and coordinate team activities. Finally, the DEC and ITCA encourage state and local programs to educate other EI team members, community partners, funders, and legislators about the important role service coordination so that service coordinators are valued and supported as indispensable team leaders. Call to Action As described in this joint position statement and in federal regulations, service coordination is an essential EI service that, along with other educational and therapeutic services, has an equal and impactful role in the experience of families. Service coordination is the only mandated EI service under Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004); therefore, it should have equal importance, administrative support, and opportunities for professional development as other services. To build the knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to effectively assume the complex roles and responsibilities of EI service coordinators, the DEC and ITCA strongly recommend the following: 1. States and local programs should review and align current competencies to the indicators in the KSSC document. Or, where competencies are not already in place, the KSSC should be adopted to guide hiring decisions and inform inservice professional development of current and future service coordinators. Adopting this guidance would promote consistency across states and international programs, which would eleva

FAQs

Why is service coordination considered essential in early intervention?

Service coordination is described as an essential EI service alongside educational and therapeutic services, with an equal and impactful role in families’ experiences. It is also the only mandated EI service under IDEA Part C.

What qualifications does the statement say service coordinators need?

It states service coordinators must have the knowledge, skills, administrative support, professional development, and resources needed to provide the highest quality services. It also emphasizes leadership support, supervision, and guidance for these professionals.

How should states and programs use KSSC in hiring and training?

The statement endorses guidance in Knowledge and Skills for Service Coordinators (KSSC) to ensure consistency in hiring and training. It urges programs to align competencies to KSSC indicators and adopt KSSC when competencies are not already in place.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Connor