Often, families have questions about their child’s growth and development. Child Outreach can help you understand how your child is progressing and learn ways to continue to support their development.
Child Outreach is a FREE service offered to ALL Rhode Island Children ages 3, 4 and 5 Years Old and can help identify children who may need further assessment, intervention, and/or services at an early age.
WHY SHOULD I PARTICIPATE?
WHEN SHOULD MY CHILD PARTICIPATE IN SCREENING?
Much like your well-child visit with the pediatrician, children should participate in screening annually at 3, 4, and 5 years old. Because children learn rapidly during these early years, each screening provides families with an up-to-date check on their child’s development.
WHAT DOES SCREENING INVOLVE?
The screening provides a brief assessment of five areas of development:
Vision
Hearing
Speech and Language Skills
Social/Emotional Development
General
Development, such as gross and fine motor skills, memory, etc.
THE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT IS GATHERED IN 2 WAYS:
FIRST
Your child will participate for about 45 minutes in game-like activities conducted by trained personnel from the public school system. You are always welcome to join your child as they participate in the screening activities.
SECOND
You will complete brief family questionnaires about your child’s health history and development as observed at home in everyday activities.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SCREENING?
Screening results are reviewed and a summary is sent to you within a few weeks. The summary will include the areas of development that indicate age-appropriate results as well as those that may require a rescreen or follow-up.
Child Outreach wants to ensure that ALL children are off to a good start before entering kindergarten.
WHAT HAPPENS TO SCREENING RESULTS?
While sharing screening results with your child’s pediatrician and early care and education program is beneficial, no results will be shared without your permission. Confidentiality is always a priority.
WHAT IF MY CHILD SPEAKS AND UNDERSTANDS A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH?
If your child communicates in a language other than English, Child Outreach (CO) makes every effort to screen your child and communicate with you in your dominant language.
Screening is not an assessment of your child’s English language ability, but rather a snapshot of your child’s development. Screening in your child’s dominant language provides the most accurate picture of how your child is growing and learning.
Please notify CO prior to the screening so that a bilingual screener or interpreter can be made available in your primary language.
HOW DO I ARRANGE A SCREENING FOR MY CHILD?
Screenings are held at the Barrington Barrington Public Library in the Trustee Room located on the second floor.
To arrange a screening please complete the following steps:
Sign up for your screening via Sign Up Genius
Please be sure to complete the age-appropriate screening packet at least 7 days BEFORE your screening date. We can not complete the screening until this paperwork has been completed.
District screenings are offered monthly at the Barrington Public Library on the following dates:
October 4, 2024
November 8, 2024
December 6, 2024
January 3, 2025
February 7, 2025
March 7, 2025
March 28, 2025
Screenings are also offered in Barrington Preschools.
Screenings offer information about your child’s development and resources that are available within your community to promote positive outcomes in kindergarten and beyond.
