Infant Child Development Program
Learn about the support you can get through the Infant Child Development program (ICDP) if you have concerns about your child’s development in the early years from birth to school entry.
About Infant Child Development Program (ICDP)
The Infant Child Development Program is a free early child development program available to families who have concerns about their child’s early development.
The program serves children from birth to school entry who have a developmental disability and/or risk of developmental delay. It is primarily a home-based early intervention program working with children and their parents/caregivers to build skills through routines in their daily environment.
The Program works with children based on functional needs and concerns; a medical diagnosis is not required, you do not need a referral from your doctor to access ICDP services.
ICDP services include but are not limited to:
- assessments to help determine what needs a child and family have and helps connect them to available resources
- help with information about the child’s needs and what that means for routines in the home
- support, information and early intervention services within the child’s daily environment and building upon the family’s or caregivers’ usual routines
- support for parenting and positive parent/caregiver-child interactions
- collaborative provision of supports with other local providers
The Infant Child Development Program is funded by the government of Ontario and delivered by community-based agencies.
Eligibility
Your child is eligible for the program:
- if you have concerns about your child's development
- from birth until they start school
No medical diagnosis is required.
Register
You can register by contacting an ICDP program near you. Referrals to ICDP can be made by parents, physicians and community agencies. Check with your local program or a SmartStart Hub for more information on how to access the Infant Child Development Program.
A diagnosis is not required for families to access infant and child development services.
For more information read the Ontario Association of Infant Child Development directory of Infant and Child Development Programs.
Resources/Tips
Having the right support in place as a new parent can make the transition to parenting easier.
Here’s a list of resources with helpful information during this time in your life:
- Canadian Paediatric Society – contains useful parenting information
- Looksee Checklist® - get a snapshot of your child's development
- Early Years Check-In questionnaire – helps identify concerns about how your child is developing
- Play and Learn - Try activities to help your child learn, grow and thrive