Early intervention (atención temprana)

It is for people considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain with a baby or toddler. After reading, you will know whether your child is likely to qualify, how to get referred, what to expect on waits and how to prepare for age six.

Start with "What early intervention (atención temprana) is and who qualifies". It explains the service, the age range and the kinds of delay or disability that count. Then read "Getting an early intervention place and how long you may wait" for applying and planning around waits. If your child already has therapy or reports from abroad, read "Continuing your toddler's therapy after moving to Spain from abroad". Last, read "The age-six cliff in early intervention and how to plan the handover", which shows what to start arranging early.

Nursery admission, medical referral for diagnosis and private therapy prices are not covered here.

Key rules

• Age range: Atención temprana covers children from birth up to 6 years old, and some regions let a child continue until the end of the school year in which they turn 6.
• Start planning: Start arranging school and outpatient support about 12 months before your child turns six.
• Regional service: Each region runs its own atención temprana network, so centres and criteria depend on where you live.
• Risk counts: Your child can qualify because of a risk factor, not only an existing delay or disorder.
• Regional route: You get a public place through your region's route, so the first step depends on where you live.
• Waiting: Expect several months' wait, longer in busy areas; ask the local centre for the current wait.

Early intervention (atención temprana): the whole process, step by step

• Get your child assessed and placed: read "Getting an early intervention place and how long you may wait": As soon as you notice a delay or risk, from birth onwards.

• Check that your child qualifies: read "What early intervention (atención temprana) is and who qualifies": Before you apply. Service covers children from birth up to 6 years old.

• Restart therapy begun abroad using your foreign reports: read "Continuing your toddler's therapy after moving to Spain from abroad": Soon after you arrive, while you wait for a place.

• Ask the paediatrician for outpatient referrals and renew the disability certificate if needed: Around age 5, since outpatient waiting lists can be long.

• Start arranging school and outpatient support: read "The age-six cliff in early intervention and how to plan the handover": About 12 months before your child turns six. Ask for the educational needs assessment and the transfer of the centre's reports.

• Apply for a school place: In the spring admission window before the school year, usually between March and May, set by each region.

• Early intervention ends and school-based and outpatient support take over: At the sixth birthday in most regions. See What early intervention (atención temprana) is and who qualifies.

Documents you may need

• Certified translation into Spanish — Continuing your toddler's therapy after moving to Spain from abroad

• Foreign medical or therapy reports on your child — Continuing your toddler's therapy after moving to Spain from abroad

Early intervention (atención temprana): questions that cross several articles

Does early intervention work the same way in every region?

No, each region sets its own rules, though all cover children up to 6 years old. In Catalonia you can contact the CDIAP centre directly. In Andalucía your paediatrician refers you to a CAIT. In Madrid and Valencia a regional assessment decides the place.

Which kinds of difficulty qualify my child for early intervention?

Your child can qualify with a developmental delay or disorder, or with a risk of one. Risk can be biological, such as prematurity, or family or social. See What early intervention (atención temprana) is and who qualifies.

Can I use private therapy while I wait for a public place?

Yes, you can use private therapy alongside public early intervention, and you pay for it yourself. See What early intervention (atención temprana) is and who qualifies.

What happens to my child's therapy when they turn six?

Early intervention ends at the sixth birthday in most regions, and some let your child continue to the end of that school year. See The age-six cliff in early intervention and how to plan the handover.

Which department should I contact about early intervention?

It depends on your region: social services in Madrid, Valencia and Catalonia, and the health department in Andalucía. Names change with each regional government, so start with your paediatrician or local social services.