Country Montessori Preschool shall use the following procedures for referring parents to the appropriate social, mental health, educational and medical services for their child should the center staff feel that an assessment for such additional services would benefit the child.

Referral Process:
Whenever any staff member is concerned about a child's development or behavior and feels that further evaluation is needed, she should discuss the concerns with the child's Lead Teacher. The Lead Teacher will then review the concerns with the Director.

The Center will maintain a list of current referral resources in the community for the children in need of social, mental health education or medical services. This list shall include the contact person for Chapter 766 and Early Intervention program referrals.

Referral Meeting With Parents:
A meeting with the parents will be scheduled to notify them of our concerns. At the meeting, we will provide the parent a written statement including the reason for recommending a referral for additional services, a brief summary of the schools observations related to the referrals and any efforts the school may have made to accommodate the child's needs.

With written permission, assistance will be offered to the child's parents in making the referral. Parents would be encouraged to call or request in writing an evaluation. If parents need extra support, the school; may , with written parental consent, contact the referral agency for them.

Follow Up To The Referral:
With parental permission, the Director will contact the agency or service provider who evaluated the child for consultation and assistance in the meeting the child's needs at the center. If it is determined that the child is not in need of services from the agency, or is ineligible to receive services, the school shall review the childs progress at the school every three months to determine if another referral is necessary.

The Center will maintain a written record of any referrals, including the parent conference and results. A referral checklist will be in the child's record. A copy of the written record will be put in the child's file.