# As an ASHA worker, how can I connect a family to RBSK and DEIC? Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-an-asha-worker-how-can-i-connect-a-family-to-government-schemes-like-rbsk-and-deic Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited ASHA workers connect families to RBSK and DEIC by identifying children with possible delay or disability during community screening, routing them through the ANM and Anganwadi worker to the RBSK Mobile Health Team, referring confirmed concerns to the District Early Intervention Centre, and following up to ensure the family reaches care — all free for children 0–18 years. *An ASHA worker is often the first person a family trusts with a worry about their child — and the bridge to the support the State has already built for them.* ## In short As an ASHA worker you connect families to **RBSK** (Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram — the child health screening programme) and **DEIC** (District Early Intervention Centre) through your routine community screening and the existing referral chain. When you spot a child with a possible delay or disability, you record the concern, refer them to the nearest **RBSK Mobile Health Team or DEIC** through your ANM/Anganwadi worker, and follow up to make sure the family actually reaches the centre — all four D's (Defects at birth, Deficiencies, Diseases, Developmental delays including disability) are covered free of cost for children 0–18 years. ## The step-by-step pathway **1. Identify and record.** During home visits, VHSND sessions and Anganwadi rounds, note any child with delayed milestones, feeding difficulty, visible birth defect, hearing or vision concern, or a parent's persistent worry. Your observation is a valid first screen. **2. Route through the RBSK team.** Coordinate with the **ANM and Anganwadi Worker** so the child is screened by the **RBSK Mobile Health Team** at the next Anganwadi or school visit. Newborns are screened at the facility; 0–6 year olds at the Anganwadi; 6–18 year olds at government and aided schools. **3. Refer onward to DEIC.** Children flagged with a confirmed or suspected developmental delay or disability are referred to the **District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC)** at the District Hospital, where a team (paediatrician, therapists, special educator, audiologist) assesses and starts early intervention — all free. **4. Close the loop.** The biggest gap is families who get referred but never reach the centre. Accompany or follow up — note the appointment, arrange transport support where available, and confirm the child was seen. Your follow-up is what turns a referral into care. ## When to also think beyond government services RBSK/DEIC is the right first route for every family. If a family seeks additional structured therapy, or lives far from a DEIC, you can also guide them to a specialist developmental centre for assessment and a therapy plan — the two pathways complement each other, never compete. ## The Pinnacle way A child's clinical **AbilityScore®** and any diagnosis are established **only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, by qualified clinicians** — never from a screening visit or an app. ASHA and Anganwadi screening identifies *who needs a closer look*; the formal assessment then gives the family clarity and a plan. Learn how the [structured clinician assessment works](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated), explore [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) for children with communication delays, and start from [our network of support](/). ## Trusted sources Ministry of Health & Family Welfare guidance on child health screening and early intervention (RBSK and DEIC framework); WHO and Nurturing Care Framework on early childhood development and community-based screening; AAP guidance on developmental surveillance. **Next step —** Spotted a child who needs a closer look? Refer through your RBSK team today, and for a structured developmental assessment, [a Pinnacle clinician can help](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/enroll-autism-speech-aba-therapies-india). This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. ## Sources - Nurturing Care Framework — early childhood development: https://nurturing-care.org - WHO — child health and developmental screening: https://www.who.int - AAP HealthyChildren — developmental surveillance: https://www.healthychildren.org ## Connected topics and perspectives - Community Health Worker: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/community_health_worker - Support: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/support - Screen: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/screen - Book Assessment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/book-assessment - Family Empowerment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/family_empowerment ## Related question paths ### Explore therapy & support - As an anganwadi worker, how can I connect a family to RBSK and DEIC?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-an-anganwadi-worker-how-can-i-connect-a-family-to-government-schemes-like-rbsk-and-deic - How a PHC nurse can connect families to RBSK and DEIC: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-phc-nurse-how-can-i-connect-a-family-to-government-schemes-like-rbsk-and-deic - Connecting Families to RBSK and DEIC Schemes: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-community-health-volunteer-how-can-i-connect-a-family-to-government-schemes-like-rbsk-and-deic - Role of ASHA and Anganwadi Workers in Developmental Screening: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-role-of-asha-and-anganwadi-workers-in-developmental-screening - Government Early Intervention in India (RBSK / DEIC): https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-government-early-intervention-services-exist-for-young-children-in-india-rbsk-deic ### Outcomes, rights & access - Government Early Intervention Services for Young Children: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-early-intervention-services-does-the-government-provide-for-young-children