First Steps clients will be provided with a developmental, enriched, and imaginative environment that will cultivate growth and development for your child.
As a parent, you know your child best, but it can be hard to know what to expect in terms of development. First Steps is Indiana’s go-to resource to help you through the process.
Anyone can refer a child to First Steps. Whether you are a parent, family member, service provider, doctor or someone else in a baby’s or toddler’s life, you can connect that child with First Steps and help them learn and grow.
Contact First Steps directly to assess eligibility for your child or a child you know. If it is determined that a child is eligible and in need of early intervention services after an assessment, a service coordinator will work to get the best available support for your child and family.
Families with children from birth to their third birthday who:
**If you think your child or a child you know may be experiencing developmental delays, contact your physician or First Steps for further information and support. The sooner you reach out to First Steps the more we can do for you and your child.
“Miles was born with a Chromosome Deletion which impacted the development of his gross motor skills. Up until he was about 6 months old, he couldn’t move any part of his body on his own. First Steps was a huge part of helping him develop and being able to do basic functions. It took 6 months of physical therapy and occupational therapy to help him be able to move his arms on his own. Then another 6 months of working on leg movement. The doctors told us he would never walk, talk or eat on his own. With the help of First Steps therapists, he is doing all of those things on his own independently. With the early interventions and guidance of First Steps, my son is able to walk, jump, play and live his best life.”
“Whittaker received First Steps and applying for services was the best decision we’ve made as parents. Whittaker received OT, PT, SLP, and Developmental. Our First Steps therapists became like family. Our OT helped us create a sensory room (pictured below) as a Christmas gift one year. Everything selected was specific to increasing his proprioceptive input, as she was so attuned to his needs and wanted to help us as parents engage more with our developing baby. “
“When our son was born in 2019, I had no idea what lay ahead for him and our family. He was born with Down Syndrome and a complex heart defect. As a licensed special education teacher with more than 20 years of experience working with people with disabilities, I knew our son would need support, but I still felt out of my comfort zone and was intimidated by it all.
Our First Steps experience was just what we needed. The therapists assigned to our family had more than 30 years of combined experience in their respective disciplines. They helped our son grow and develop in ways we would have never known or tried. They also served as great resource connectors for our family. They knew exactly who to call and which agencies to contact to help meet our son’s needs. They were always easy to communicate with and supportive of me as a special needs mom.
Having the therapists in our home was a wonderful way to promote our son’s development because it allowed him to learn new things in a familiar environment. I learned a lot from our therapists and our son learned to trust other adults. We would recommend First Steps to any family who qualifies for these services.”
What is First Steps?
What does First Steps look like?
What is early intervention?
What are developmental delays and disabilities?
What are developmental milestones?
