Age-appropriate developmental screening and surveillance is a gateway for at risk children to receive services. “The Earlier the Better” is a recent report from the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut which highlights the role of screening as part of a comprehensive approach to school readiness. In the report, we are reminded that identification of delay and subsequent intervention prior to kindergarten saves society between $30,000 and $100,000 per child in academic and social service costs. The report reasserts our understanding that parents are their child’s best caregivers, and that parents are effective and reliable when administering developmental assessments. The authors recommend that all children are screened within an integrated system, screening results are available across services, children are connected to services they need, and all involved providers are engaged in developmental promotion in partnership with families.

Visit http://www.chdi.org/devscreen-IMPACT for the full report and learn what strategies are being implemented in Connecticut.