Ceid

CEID began in 1980 as a federally funded, demonstration program for infants and toddlers who were Deaf or Hard of Hearing. By 1981, we were recognized as a ‘Best Practices’ site (now called an ‘Education Visitation’ site) by the California Department of Education. We moved from San Francisco to Berkeley in 1984, establishing the first family centered early education program in the East Bay for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are deaf and hard of hearing. CEID then relocated to its present, custom-built facility in 2004 in West Berkeley and expanded to include Sunshine Preschool and Childcare (an affordable and inclusive program designed to serve both typically developing children and children with special needs) and our community Audiology Clinic.

Almost 40 years later, CEID remains one of the few licensed facilities in the Bay Area offering comprehensive early education and support services for families with very young children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. In addition to early education, CEID offers speech and language therapy; occupational therapy; parent education and support; sign language classes; and audiology services. Our multidisciplinary team includes credentialed teachers of the deaf; speech and language pathologists; home visit specialists; an occupational therapist; consultants in the fields of pediatrics; and licensed clinical and dispensing audiologists.

CEID’s mission is to maximize the communication potential of children and adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing through early education, family support, and community audiology services.

We strive to create a diverse, inclusive, and educationally rich environment in order to empower families with the academic and social tools needed to reach their full potential.

The CEID Home Visit Program provides services to families with children younger than 36 months old, typically on a weekly basis. Visits occur at home or in a childcare setting, and can include parents, family members, and caregivers. With the guidance of a CEID Home Visitor (also known as an Early Intervention Specialist), families learn how to expand their child’s language abilities at home by becoming informed about hearing levels, language development, communication strategies, social responses and educational play.
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CEID’s Home Visitors are credentialed Teachers of the Deaf with extensive experience in child development; speech and language development; sign language; multiple special needs; and parent support.

Sunshine Preschool and Childcare is for hearing children, ages 2 to 5 years. An inclusive, play-based program, Sunshine serves typically developing children alongside their peers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. The Sunshine curriculum encourages active learning and creativity. We support the needs of the youngest students while also emphasizing kindergarten readiness for children who are 4 to 5 years old.

Join CEID Parents and Caregivers the 2nd Thursday of every month at 9:00AM in the CEID Parent Library for Coffee and Donuts social hour. Stop by to enjoy a snack and chat with other parents in the community.

keywords: preschool, spanish