Peel Special Needs Strategy
for Early Learning and Child Care
Early Learning and Child Care Task Force
ELCC Task Force members heard the need to collaboratively develop a system
strategy to ensure sustainable policies and programs to support children with
special needs.
As such, Council approved the following Task Force recommendations in
relation to special needs:
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


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Support children with special needs and their families
Leverage existing resources to enhance special needs supports
Strengthen and not duplicate, special needs services
Manage a centralized wait list
Build the capacity of licensed child care providers and increase access to
quality inclusive child care
In December 2012, the managers from five special needs resourcing
agencies and the Region of Peel, formed the Special Needs Steering
Committee.
Supported by:
Peel Early Learning Special Needs Advisory Committee
(PELSNAC)
The Peel Special Needs
Strategy for Early Learning
and Child Care includes three
Strategic Directions.
The Strategy envisions that:
“In Peel all children, play, learn
and grow together”
A key component of the Peel Special Needs Strategy (aligned under Strategic
Direction: Effective Service), is the development of a new model of special
needs resourcing services for children (0-6 years) in child care, referred to as
the:
PEEL INCLUSION RESOURCE SERVICES (PIRS) MODEL
The PIRS model will:
Provide all children with an opportunity to participate in child care
Offer families and child care providers a centralized point for intake and
follow-up
Build capacity of child care providers to adopt inclusion practices
Move away from thinking that every child with special needs requires a 1:1
support worker
Previous Approach: Special Needs Resourcing in Peel
RC
Child Care Provider
RC
RC
Previous
Approach
RC
RC
or
Peel Inclusion Resource Services (PIRS) Model – Phase 1
-
Special Needs Agencies
Physicians/ Therapists
-
Families
Child Care Providers
-
Other community professionals
Five Service Areas: Family of Child Care Providers
PIRS Model
5 Service Areas
55 Resource Consultants
55 Families of Providers
A Family of Providers includes both centre and home based providers
Example:
Service Area Profile: Peel East
•
Peel East
•
•
•
•
Approximately 50 licensed child care providers,
not including home child care
Approximately 2,734 licensed child care spaces
11 Resource Consultants
11 Families of Providers
1 Service Area Lead
Current SN Agency Supervisors
Service Area Leads:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Support the PIRS
Community of
Practice
Facilitate knowledge
exchange
Identify and facilitate
access to training
Support
implementation of
new initiatives
Support access to EPS
(6 – 12 years)
Coordinate Service
Area Meetings
Identify gaps in
Service Areas
RC
RC
RC
RC
RC
Resource Consultants:
RC
SAL
RC
EPS
RC
RC
RC
RC
•
•
•
•
Support to providers
Support to families
Support to children
Build community
connections
Child Care Provider
Child Care Provider
Child Care Provider
RC
Child Care Provider
Child Care Provider
NOW:
1 Resource Consultant
provides supports to
1 Family of Providers
Resource Consultant
Role
What it is…
What it is not…
• Coach, model, mentor and
offer training for child care
providers
• Partner with child care
providers on common goals
• Provide general strategies to
benefit all children and create
an inclusive environment
• Resource to families (ie:
support strategies, funding,
toys)
• included in ratios
• instruct or direct child care
providers
• strategies for individual
children unless on caseload
• responsible to fix all issues
Resource Consultant
Role
What it is…
• Liaise with therapists,
doctors and other
professionals
• Attend therapy sessions with
other professionals
• Provide families with tools
and resources to advocate
for themselves
• Include everyone in the
creation of the IPP
(professionals, families,
providers)
What it is not…
• the “doer” for the families
• the sole developer of the IPP
ENHANCED PROGRAM SUPPORT
Administered through ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment
and Development
• Extra set of hands to support inclusion
• Supports implementation of agreed upon plans and
actions
• Participates in ongoing learning and development
• Supports positive communication approach in team
ENHANCED PROGRAM SUPPORT is NOT…
•
•
•
•
•
Intended to be 1:1
To be used to cover breaks
To be used to meet ratio
To replace childcare staff when absent
To be solely responsible for a child or group of
children
• Usually responsible for toileting
• Typically provided during sleep time hours
EPS PROCESS
Step One
The
CONVERSATION
Step Two
The
APPLICATION
Step Three
The Follow-up
• PIRS Resource Consultants have ongoing
consultations with child care center staff
• Environmental review, strategies implemented
• PIRS EPS Application is completed in collaboration
with PIRS RC and center supervisor and staff
• PIRS Application is reviewed by PIRS, SNA Supervisors
and Resource Consultants
• PIRS application is submitted to ErinoakKids (EOK)
• EPS application feedback form will be provided by
EOK to PIRS RC to provide to child care center
• Ongoing review and support of action plan goals in
order to increase capacity of childcare centers for
support to be faded
-
Special Needs Agencies
Physicians/ Therapists
-
Families
Child Care Providers
-
Other community professionals
Peel Inclusion Resource Services (PIRS) Model – Phase 2
Five Service Areas: Family of Child Care Providers
Peel Special Needs Strategy and
PIRS implementation timelines
We are
here
“In Peel all children, play, learn and grow together”
The Peel Special Needs Strategy for Early Learning and Child Care and the PIRS model
enhances capacity building within our community, whereby:
• Empowering families to find and access child care much more efficiently without fears
of rejection
• Supporting licensed child care providers with the tools needed to ensure inclusive child
care services to children with special needs
• Strengthening Special Needs Agencies with resources, training and a consistent
approach to serving children with special needs