How to Become an Early Intervention Specialist

Early Intervention Specialists provide home and community support to children with special needs. They also and facilitate support groups, provide referrals, help raise community awareness and support the provision of services to children with special needs. While the requirements to become an Early Intervention Specialist differ between states, there are a few rules of thumb to follow when deciding if this is the career for you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Find the state requirements for becoming an Early Intervention Specialist in the state you want to work in. Different states have different education and licensing requirements for professionals that work directly with children.
2. Obtain a bachelor's degree. Entry-level Early Intervention Specialists generally hold at least a bachelor's degree in education, psychology, social work, health or sociology. Those who want to move up in the field are required to obtain further education.
3. Acquire the certification mandated by the state in which you want to work. Certification and licensing is often provided as part of the training programs offered by employers after a job offer has been accepted. At the very least, it is expected by employers after a specified amount of time on the job. Again, certification and licensing expectations vary by state and by job.
4. Consider obtaining an advanced degree. Many Early Intervention Specialists hold advanced degrees in fields such as educational development, special education, audiology and speech therapy. While an advanced degree is not usually a pre-requisite for most Early Intervention Specialist positions, it is certainly helpful if you want to be more involved in administration or in positions that involve policy development and implementation.

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