First Steps Parent Information

Welcome to Missouri First Steps. Every family wants their child to grow and learn. Families with young children who have special needs or developmental delays may require a little extra support. This support is called early intervention.

Early intervention is about helping infants and toddlers with delays or disabilities develop important developmental milestones or skills, such as crawling, playing, talking and eating, during their first three years. By bringing families together with early intervention specialists, families can learn new ways to encourage and support their child’s development within their daily activities.

Referral sources are an important part of the early intervention system. State regulations outline which individuals and agencies may refer a child to First Steps. These identified individuals and agencies are called "primary referral sources." For more information on referral sources, see the Referral and Eligibility tab below.

Developmental Milestones

• Concerned About Your Child's Development?
• How Can I help my Child Develop and Learn?
• What Can I Do to Better Understand My Child’s Development?

Referral and Eligibility

• Video: Welcome to First Steps for Families | Spanish
• Referral Sources: Who Can Make a Referral to First Steps?
• Video: First Steps Information for Referral Sources | Spanish
• First Steps General Informing Brochure | Spanish
• First Steps Belief Statements
• Who is Eligible?
• How Do I Make a Referral?

Parental Rights

• Parental Rights Statement 
• System of Payments Policy
• Documents in Additional Languages
• Family Cost Participation and Insurance
• Child Complaint Forms
• Advocacy, Disability and Education Resources

Early Intervention Teams (EIT)

• EIT & Families — Topics for Discussion
• Early Intervention Teams and Families | Spanish

First Steps Coordinating Councils

• Missouri Early Childhood State Advisory Council (EC SAC) - On January 7, 2022, Governor Parson signed Executive Order 22-01 creating the Missouri Early Childhood State Advisory Council. With this executive order, the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) for the First Steps early intervention program was consolidated into the state advisory council, which membership mirrors the SICC.
• Regional Interagency Coordinating Council (RICC) - The  RICC  is  responsible  for  assisting  the  System Point of Entry (SPOE) with  local  child  find  efforts,  public  awareness  activities and determining the effectiveness of the First Steps system within the region. Families may contact their local First Steps office for more information.

First Steps Year at a Glance

The First Steps Year at a Glance is an annual publication that shares First Steps family stories and program data. The Year at a Glance includes fiscal year information on how many children received services in each county in Missouri, who refers children to First Steps, Annual Performance Report information that is shared with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), and more.

• Yearly Report 2022-23 | One-page summary
• Yearly Report 2021-22
• Yearly Report 2020-21
• Yearly Report 2019-20
• Yearly Report 2018-19 | One-page summary
• Yearly Report 2017-18
• Yearly Report 2016-17

 

First Steps Newsletters

• Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Meetings (Fall 2022)
• Communicating Your Child's Needs (Winter 2022)
• Transition from First Steps to Early Childhood Special Education (Fall 2023)