Developmental Screenings

Guiding You Every Step of the Way

At Families United, our free, family-friendly developmental screenings provide a clear snapshot of your child’s growth, allowing you to act early and confidently. If you’ve wondered what a developmental screening is, or asked yourself why developmental screening is important, here’s the short answer: early checks lead to earlier supports, and earlier supports lead to better outcomes at home and in school. Our team makes the process simple, warm, and actionable from start to finish.

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Unlocking Potential Early

Why Developmental Screening Matters

Early detection of developmental delays or disabilities is essential to providing timely intervention and support. Research shows that early intervention can significantly improve a child’s ability to learn, communicate, and thrive.

By offering developmental screening, Families United helps families get a clear picture of their child’s developmental progress and ensures they can access the right services early on.

Programs that systematize screening (for example, in early childhood settings) help families identify concerns sooner and move quickly toward seeking help.

Free Screenings: A no-cost first look at milestones and behavior, so you get answers quickly without barriers.

Expert Support: Our team explains results in plain language and outlines practical next steps (referrals, home strategies, school collaboration) after a developmental screening test or more in-depth developmental assessment.

Timely Intervention: When a brief developmental test flags concerns, we coordinate paths to care and resources. Well-established systems (like Head Start programs) even require timely developmental testing so children don’t wait for help.

Free Screening

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A Quick Check for Growth

What is Developmental Screening

Developmental screening is a brief check of your child’s skills across key areas: motor, communication, problem-solving, and social-emotional. Think of it as a structured development check that helps decide if further developmental testing is needed.

It’s family-centered, fast, and designed to guide action, not create stress. Leading child-development organizations emphasize that screening, combined with observation and parent partnership, is the most effective way to identify needs early.

Motor skills – balance, grasp, and coordination (fine and gross motor)

Communication – understanding, speech, gestures, and turn-taking

Problem-solving – play skills, curiosity, early reasoning

Social interaction – connection, flexibility, and self-regulation

OUR IMPACT

Assessing Milestones

Cognitive Development

We assess your child’s cognitive growth to ensure healthy brain development. You’ll learn how your child explores, learns routines, and solves age-appropriate problems. If screening suggests a delay, we outline referrals for a detailed developmental assessment and provide guidance on activities to try at home.

Communication and Language Skills

We monitor your child’s ability to understand and use language. If results indicate a risk, we’ll explain options such as speech-language evaluations and share reputable milestone resources, so you know when to seek help especially useful alongside child developmental screening follow-ups.

Social and Emotional Development

We help track your child’s interaction with peers and emotional growth. Small, consistent supports here often make big differences in school readiness and daily routines.

Fine and Gross Motor Skills

We evaluate your child’s coordination and motor abilities from grasping crayons to climbing stairs. When appropriate, we recommend targeted activities and therapy referrals based on the results of developmental screening tests.

Simple Steps

What to Expect

The screening process is simple, family-friendly, and typically takes 30 minutes to 1 hour. It includes a parent questionnaire and observations of the child’s behavior and abilities. Our compassionate team will guide families through the entire process, ensuring that all questions are answered and resources are provided.

Parent Questionnaire

We’ll ask you a few questions to understand your child’s development.

Observations of the Child’s Behavior

Our staff will observe how your child plays, communicates, and interacts.

Detailed Feedback and Recommendations

We’ll provide you with feedback and recommend any next steps, such as early intervention services.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP

Schedule a Screening

When you book, please let us know your top concerns and preferred schedule; we’ll tailor the appointment so that your most pressing questions are addressed first. If the screen indicates additional care is needed, we’ll help you navigate developmental testing, insurance options, and program choices, as well as provide warm handoffs to trusted providers.

Most families leave with relief, a plan, and confidence that they’re acting at the right time because early, informed action is the simplest way to help children thrive through developmental screening.

Scheduling a Developmental Screening appointment with Families United is easy. Contact us to schedule a time, learn what to bring (including previous reports, teacher notes, and IEPs, if applicable), and discuss any insurance or program-related questions.

Early detection leads to better outcomes, and we are committed to ensuring that every family has access to the support their child needs to thrive. California partners and initiatives are also working to increase screening rates, providing families with clearer paths to services statewide.

Schedule a Free Screening