AJE Launches New Family Storytelling Campaign on Disability Identification and Access to Support

We want to hear directly from families of children with disabilities and special health care needs (CYSHCN) about their experiences navigating Child Find, which is the federal requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Child Find guidelines apply to both Part C (birth to three years old) and Part B (3 to 21 years old) of the IDEA, obligating early childhood learning environments and public schools to identify, locate, and evaluate children and youth who may need special education services.

Through the What’s Your Child Find Story? campaign, AJE hopes to collect at least 30 stories from families of CYSHCN about how their children were first identified, what barriers they faced, and what helped them access support and services.

Families are invited to share:

• When they first became concerned about their child’s development
• Who first suggested an evaluation
• Experiences with schools, hospitals, early intervention programs, or medical providers
• Challenges navigating evaluations, services, or support systems
• Reflections on what they wish had happened differently

Stories can be shared in writing, through a self-recorded video, or by emailing advocacy@aje-dc.org to schedule a short interview with AJE staff. The campaign is designed to center lived experiences and help identify gaps in early identification systems, strengthen advocacy efforts, and improve how families access evaluations and services.