Getting Started at Kindering

We strive to make your introduction to Early Supports as smooth and informative as possible. You’ve made the first step by inquiring about the program; below is what you can expect as you get started with Kindering.

1. Intake

First, contact us to refer a child to our early support program by calling (425) 653-4300 or make a referral online. The next step is a phone call between a parent/guardian/caregiver and a Family Resources Coordinator (who will call you back within two business days). If you are not the child’s parent or guardian, we can contact the family directly to give more details.

During this call, a Family Resources Coordinator will explain the Early Support Program and its process in more depth. We will also learn more about the concerns you have regarding your child’s development. With your consent, the Family Resources Coordinator can schedule a developmental evaluation for your child.

2. Evaluation

Evaluations for Early Support eligibility are provided at no cost to your family.

A team of professionals from different disciplines will assess your child’s development in the following areas:

  • Cognitive: Problem solving, play, and thinking skills
  • Communication: Using gestures, sounds, and words; understanding what others are saying
  • Social/Emotional: Getting along with others and sharing feelings
  • Physical: Using hands/legs and eyes together to do things; rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, running, and jumping
  • Self-Help/Adaptive: Calming, feeding, sleeping, and dressing

A child who presents with a delay in at least one area of development is eligible for Early Support services in Washington State.

3. Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP)

The final step before services can begin is to create the Individual Family Service Plan. Your Family Resources Coordinator will organize a meeting with all team members (parents, therapists or educators, and others invited by parents) to jointly design the best program for your child. Information from the evaluation along with the concerns and priorities of parents help shape the plan.

4. Services Begin

Now the work and fun begins! Our team of specialists will provide effective, evidence-based supports to positively affect your child’s development. We thank you for the privilege of working with your child and family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Kindering’s Early Support Program serves families who live in East King County and South Snohomish County. Our service area includes families who live in the following school districts: Bellevue, Lake Washington, Mercer Island, Issaquah, Northshore, and some of Edmonds, Everett, and Renton. Please contact our intake team at (425) 653-4300 to see if your family resides within our service area.

Kindering will provide services in the setting that is most convenient for your family and most impactful for your child. We can provide services in your home, your childcare or preschool, SteppingStones Toddler Preschool at Kindering, and during in-clinic appointments.

This Prescreening Checklist is a quick, organized way of helping you recognize possible problem areas in a child’s vision, hearing, and development. The chart will help you to look at the whole child. You will be watching for the child’s development in the areas of thinking skills, social skills, listening and talking skills, and activity skills.

Kindering offers a comprehensive slate of 20+ early support services to meet the individual needs of each child and family. Together with your team at Kindering, you can assist in the design of services that most help your child and best fit your family. Click here to see the array of services we offer.

Kindering receives limited state, federal, and school district funding toward the costs of Early Support services. We also bill private insurance and Medicaid for therapy costs. Parents are responsible for applicable deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance. Donations from foundations, individuals, and United Way help support the availability of early support services for all families. Services are available regardless of a family’s ability to pay. See our current System of Payments and Fees Policy.