An Introduction to Inclusive Child Care for Preschool and School-Age Children*
Script
Introduction
Welcome to “An Introduction to Inclusive Child Care for Preschool and School-Age
Children.” This 2-hour course is the first in a series of online trainings designed to help you, as
child care providers and directors, gain a better understanding of how to create an inclusive child
care environment for preschool and school-age children. Inclusion, as it relates to child care, is a
process in which all children are recognized as being special. In inclusive child care, every child
is truly included and the individual needs of each child are considered and valued. Children with
and without disabilities participate in the same routines and play experiences. Special instruction
and support are provided to children when needed. Inclusive child care programs, in fact, have
the same characteristics of any high quality child care program. During this course, we will
attempt to answer the following questions:
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First, what is inclusion?
Second, why should you work toward inclusion in your program?
Third, what do you actually do in inclusive child care?
And fourth, what does a typical day look like in an inclusive child care program?
Learning Objectives
By the time you complete this course, you should be able to:
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Define inclusive child care,
Describe key features of inclusive child care,
List the benefits of creating an inclusive child care environment,
Identify and explain the laws and regulations that pertain to inclusive child care, and
Describe initial action steps you can take to make your program more inclusive.
What is Inclusion? - Developing a Definition
Before we can learn about ways to make your program more inclusive, we have to take a
moment to answer our first big question. What is inclusion?
The answer to this question starts with an idea you probably already know: A high quality child
care program adapts to each child’s individual strengths and needs. This is best practice,
regardless of the abilities of the children. If you are already meeting this standard of quality, then
practicing inclusion will not change the basic structure of your program. Establishing an
inclusive program simply means all children can attend and benefit. It means children with
disabilities participate in the same programs they would attend if they did not have disabilities.
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The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Division for
Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC) created this joint statement
regarding the definition of early childhood inclusion:
“Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of
every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad
range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society. The
desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their
families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and
friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential.”
While this definition was crafted with infant, toddler, and preschool programs in mind, the same
principles apply in inclusive school-age care programs. In their publication Inclusion in SchoolAge Care: Guidelines for SAC Providers in Caring for Children with Special Needs (2008), the
Center for Inclusive Child Care says, “’Inclusion’ is characterized by a feeling of belonging, not
by mere proximity…Inclusion is children of all abilities learning, playing, and working together.
With successful inclusion, all children are actively involved, physically accessing play and work
locations, and have options from which they can choose personally. Inclusion is a process, not a
placement. No one person is responsible to make it work; it takes group effort. There is not one
perfect way. The inclusion process needs to be tailored to meet the needs of each child as well as
the program.”
What is Inclusion? - Identifying Characteristics of Inclusive Programs
Formal definitions are helpful in our attempts to answer the question “What is inclusion?”, but
they only scratch the surface when it comes to describing inclusive child care. As we dig deeper
into the concept of inclusion, let’s look at some important features that all inclusive child care
programs share: Access, Participation, and Support.
Access means “providing a wide range of activities and environments for every child by
removing physical barriers and offering multiple ways to promote learning and development” (p.
1). In other words, access means making sure each activity in your program is physically
accessible to every child. Adaptations to the environment range from least-to-most intrusive.
First consider the physical space. Are there any obstacles that prevent the child from moving
safely in the area? Rooms can be re-arranged to accommodate children with mobility devices.
Ramps and handrails can also help with mobility. Be wary of sharp edges on tables and curled up
edges of rugs. Make sure furniture is not easily tipped over. Floor sitter wedges and adaptive
standers are special equipment that can be used to help a child access a floor or table activity.
If environmental accommodations are not enough to allow the child to access a particular
activity, try adapting the activity or choosing another activity that might fulfill the same
purposes. If a child has a physical disability and seems to slump or lean frequently, make sure
the child has appropriate support of the trunk, which is less intrusive than having an adult hold
the child in position. Non-slip mats, visuals, and Velcro wristbands or loops on toys and books
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can allow some children to access materials. Toys that children are allowed to use during freeplay should be accessible for all children to see and touch, and stored in easy-to-manipulate
containers with labels.
Participation, the second important feature of inclusive child care, means “using a range of
instructional approaches to promote engagement in play and learning activities, and a sense of
belonging for every child” (p. 1). Participation means making adjustments, modifications, and
individualized accommodations in your instructional methods so children with disabilities can
fully participate in play and learning activities with their peers. Providing access through the
environment, activities, and materials is one way to encourage participation, but participation
goes beyond the physical environment. While access asks “can all children physically engage in
the activities,” participation asks “are they actually engaging, and, if not, how can we encourage
them to?”
In reality, children with disabilities are more alike than different from children of the same age
without disabilities. You make adjustments all the time to capture children’s interest and
motivate them to engage in the activities in your program. The types of adjustments you make
vary depending on each child’s likes and dislikes, talents and abilities, and needs. Encouraging
children with disabilities to participate works in exactly the same way. If a child has a disability
that affects her fine motor skills, finding ways to make materials easier to grasp and placing
materials within her reach can encourage her to participate in an activity. For a child with a
learning disability, you might shorten activities to match the child’s attention span, break
activities into smaller steps, and let the children practice activities over and over. For a child who
uses a wheelchair, using a beanbag chair for floor activities can help the child participate with
other children at the same height. Other common adaptations for children with disabilities
include:
 Simplifying activities,
 Using materials such as puzzles and books that “talk” to the child,
 Moving the child physically through a task so he can feel what to do,
 Giving verbal prompts,
 Positioning yourself close to the child to help as needed,
 Encouraging children to help peers who need more assistance with an activity,
 Using visual cues to show children where they are supposed to be and what they are
supposed to be doing,
 Assigning the child a seat close to the “action” of the activity, to minimize distractions,
 Giving children extra time to think before responding to questions and instructions,
 Letting children participate in ways that meet their individual needs, such as watching
other children engage in an activity until they feel confident enough to try it themselves,
and
 Choosing activities that showcase a wide variety of skills, so every child can be
successful in his or her own way. .
The ultimate goal is for each child to participate successfully with no more adult assistance than
is necessary.
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Supports, the third defining feature of inclusive child care environments, refers “to broader
aspects of the system such as professional development, incentives for inclusion, and
opportunities for communication and collaboration among families and professionals to assure
high quality inclusion” (p. 1). Supports means that your program has systems in place to provide
on-going training for staff and families, opportunities for communication and collaboration
between families, staff, and service providers, and connections to organizations that can provide
the specialized services each child needs. The Americans with Disabilities Act, which we will
discuss later, is an example of a support which protects children with disabilities and requires
child care providers to serve children with disabilities if reasonable accommodations can be
made. Another example of the concept of “supports” is a financial incentive similar to that
provided by the Texas Workforce Commission. The TWC, through local Workforce
Development Boards, provides a higher amount of child care assistance funding for qualifying
children with disabilities.
Now that we have a strong working definition of inclusion, and a better idea of what
characteristics an inclusive child care program has to have, it’s time to answer our next big
question: Why should you work toward inclusion in your program?
Why Work Toward Inclusion? - Exploring Benefits of Inclusive Child Care
If your program is not already using best practices across the board, then moving toward the
high-quality care that lends itself to successful inclusion will require a commitment of time,
energy, and resources. So why should you work to create an inclusive program?
The most important reason to work toward inclusion is because it will benefit everyone involved
in your program. Obviously children with disabilities benefit from inclusive child care, but so do
children without disabilities, the families of all the children who attend, and the child care
professionals who work in these programs.
Children who learn and play in inclusive environments develop:
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A sense of belonging and community,
Shared experiences with diverse peers,
A wider variety of friendships,
Sensitivity and understanding towards others,
A value that all children are more alike than different,
Positive self-concept and increased self-esteem, and,
The ability to cope and problem solve.
Families whose children are cared for in inclusive environments can:
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Expand the variety of social situations available to themselves and their children,
Receive quality child care in a diverse community,
Develop an awareness and understanding of people, and
Develop connections to other families and resources.
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Child care professionals in inclusive environments benefit in both their personal and professional
lives. Benefits you might experience include:
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Broadening your teaching experiences and your personal experiences,
Expanding the techniques you use to individualize activities,
Knowing that you are helping prepare children for future experiences, and
Learning more about available resources in your community.
In addition to benefiting children, families, and child care professionals, an inclusive
environment benefits the community as a whole because inclusive early care sends a message to
the community that all children are valued and welcome.
Why Work Toward Inclusion? - Learning about Laws and Regulations
Knowing that inclusion benefits you and everyone else in your program should be a powerful
incentive to give it a try. If you’re still not convinced, you should also know that children with
disabilities have legal rights to participate in child care programs. Let’s examine some specific
laws and regulations related to inclusive child care. The handout “Key Terms and Acronyms”
identifies terms and concepts that are important in this discussion.
[Handout: Key Terms and Acronyms]
Federal and state laws and regulations you should be familiar with include:
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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (or IDEA),
The Americans with Disabilities Act (or ADA), and
Minimum Standards published by the Texas Department of Family and Protective
Services, Child Care Licensing.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the federal law for special education. IDEA
has a long and detailed history. Passed in 1975, the law was designed to make sure children with
disabilities had the chance to receive a free, appropriate public education, just like other children.
Features of IDEA include:
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Outreach and identification through Child Find, which is the part of IDEA that requires
states to locate and evaluate children from birth to age 21 with suspected disabilities,
Assessment by professionals,
Development of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for infants and toddlers or
Individualized Education Program (IEP) for preschool and school-age children, and
Intervention services provided in the natural or least restrictive environment.
Under IDEA, school districts are responsible for evaluating and serving children with disabilities
from ages 3 to 21. All services provided under IDEA are free to families who qualify.
Qualification for these services is based on a child’s educational need, not on his or her
diagnosis. Later in this course we will discuss in more detail how you can help families access
the special education system.
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The law that most directly relates to including children with disabilities in your child care
program is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law in July of
1990. ADA is a federal civil rights law which prohibits discriminating against people with
disabilities. There are three parts to the law. All three affect employees and programs
administered in public places. Part III addresses privately operated child care centers and home
daycare providers. These are considered places of public accommodations. As a place of public
accommodation, your program must provide equal opportunities for children with disabilities to
participate in programs and services you offer. The intent of the ADA is to be fair to child care
programs, while requiring that you make every reasonable effort to include a child with a
disability.
Title III Basic requirements include:
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You cannot discriminate based on a child’s disability,
You cannot exclude children with disabilities from your program, unless you can
demonstrate that including the child would pose a direct threat,
You cannot charge more for the care of a child with a disability,
You must make reasonable modifications to your policies and practices to integrate
children with disabilities,
You must provide auxiliary aids and services needed for children with disabilities to
effectively communicate, and
You must make your facilities accessible, unless you can prove that the required changes
would present an excessive difficulty or expense.
The Department of Justice enforces ADA laws. They can also help determine whether requested
accommodations are reasonable.
In addition to IDEA and ADA, you should also become familiar with your state’s regulatory
standards. For child care providers in Texas, Chapter 42 of the Texas Human Resources Code
requires the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, or DFPS, to regulate child care
and child-placing activities in Texas. It requires DFPS to create and enforce minimum standards.
The Child Care Licensing division of DFPS develops rules for child care in Texas. Once
adopted, these rules become part of the Texas Administrative Code. The Minimum Standards
outline basic requirements to protect the health, safety, and well-being of children, including
children with special needs, in various types of child care. In the Minimum Standards for Child
Care Centers, the Minimum Standards for Registered and Licensed Child Care Homes, and the
Minimum Standards for School-Age and Before- or After-School Programs Subchapter F, deals
with Developmental Activities, and specifically addresses planning activities designed to meet
the individual needs and developmental level of each child. You can find out more about Texas
child care Minimum Standards by going to the website on your screen.
https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/child_care/
So, another answer to the question, “Why should you work toward inclusion?” is – because it is
required by laws and regulations.
What Do You Actually Do In Inclusive Care? - Assessing Your Attitude
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What is your personal attitude toward inclusion? Is it positive, negative, or perhaps indifferent?
Does it cause you fear and anxiety? Are you worried your program will have to change? Are you
concerned about the expense or the challenge of making modifications? Attitudes and beliefs
about inclusion are very personal and are influenced by a variety of factors, like our life
experiences, other people’s beliefs, and even our own lack of experience in inclusive programs.
Our attitudes serve as the foundation for what we actually do in inclusive care; therefore,
developing positive attitudes and beliefs is an important first step in working toward an inclusive
environment.
In just a moment, I would like to ask you to complete the “What’s My Attitude?” survey
developed by Child Care plus+ to assess attitudes and beliefs which affect whether or not your
inclusion efforts will be successful. As noted on the survey, the items are designed to raise
awareness and help you identify personal attitudes and beliefs which can safeguard – or interfere
with – the ability to include children with disabilities in your program. The survey is a chance to
take closer look at yourself. The results can be used to help you plan your next steps, such as
pursuing additional training on inclusion-related topics.
Before you complete the survey, let’s take a moment to dispel a few misconceptions that
sometimes lead child care providers to have negative attitudes about inclusion. First, inclusive
child care does not mean turning your program into a special education program. Second, in
most cases, inclusion does not mean you need special medical training to work with children
with disabilities. Third, inclusion does not just mean enrolling children with disabilities. In fact,
enrolling children with disabilities is only a small part of being an inclusive program.
At this time, take approximately 15 minutes to complete the survey. Once you are done, pay
special attention to the “Using the Results” section that follows the actual survey. It will help you
reflect on the personal experiences and beliefs that produced your responses, and plan how to
move forward.
Activity #1: “What’s My Attitude?”
What Do You Actually Do In Inclusive Care? - Using “Children-First” Language
In addition to what we think and feel, what we say is a crucial factor in successfully creating
inclusive programs. Our words convey our attitudes about the world around us. The words we
choose to refer to children with disabilities can make or break our inclusion efforts.
Above all, children with disabilities are children first. When thinking and speaking about
children, keep that fact in mind. When we look at a child, rather than a disability, we are more
capable of seeing the child for who she is and who she might become. This attitude is called the
“child-first principle.” When we apply this principle to the things we say and write, we are using
the “children-first language” technique, and this is another answer to our third question: What do
you actually do in inclusive care? Using appropriate language demonstrates your commitment to
having a positive, respectful attitude toward the children in your care.
Whether you are speaking or writing about children with disabilities, the following strategies can
help you use children-first language:
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Refer to the child first, before any other descriptive characteristic. Applying the “childfirst principle,” you would say:
o a child with a disability, not a disabled child,
o a child with spina bifida, rather than a spina bifida child, and
o a child with a physical disability, rather than a crippled child.
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Call children by their names and describe them by their interests, just like you do for
children without disabilities,
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Only refer to a child’s disability when it is relevant to the discussion at hand. Just like it
is not relevant to bring up that Dillon enjoys art when you are talking to his parents about
the snack menu, it is probably not relevant to bring up that he has dyslexia during a
conversation about his physical abilities,
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Avoid outdated terms such as “handicap,” which is a term that should actually be used to
describe barriers in the environment, not to describe a person, and “retarded,” which can
be replaced by a more appropriate term such as “a child with an intellectual disability,”
and
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Never refer to “what is wrong” with a child. Instead, address the child’s “special needs”
or disability.
[ACTIVITY #2: The Language of Inclusion]
What Do You Actually Do In Inclusive Care? - Maintaining Confidentiality
Just like what you say matters, what you don’t say matters a great deal when you are trying to
create an inclusive program. Maintaining families’ confidentiality is another answer to the
question, “What do you actually do in inclusive care?”
In the broadest sense, confidentiality means safeguarding the privacy of families’ personal
information. Maintaining confidentiality is vital to any child care program. Families may share
information with you that they do not openly share with others, and they trust that you will keep
their information private. Trust is critical in building positive relationships with parents and
children. And positive relationships with families are essential to the success of a child care
program. Maintaining confidentiality is even more critical in inclusive programs. When you care
for children with disabilities, you may have access to even more private information, such as
details about the child’s medical or developmental progress. Parents of children with disabilities
may be especially sensitive to other people knowing about their child’s condition, so they are
placing even more trust in your commitment to maintaining their privacy. And your relationships
with the families of children with disabilities are your greatest asset in serving these children, so
it is even more important that you strive to keep these relationships positive.
Confidentiality is more than just keeping secrets. It means:
 You should not share records or information about a child without written permission
from the child’s parents or legal guardians,
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 You must have written permission from parents before asking other professionals for
information about a child,
 Parents have the right to inspect and review records about their children,
 Parents have the right to change their minds about permission at any time,
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Parents are the only ones who can share any information they wish, with whomever they
wish, whenever they wish,
 You should avoid using children’s names when talking about daily activities or specific
concerns in front of other people,
 Posted lists, such as lists of medication reminders, should not include children’s names,
 Observation notes should only include the name of the “target child,” so parents can
review them without seeing identifying information about other children,
 If someone other than the child’s parent asks questions about a child, your answers
should only contain general information.
When caring for children with disabilities, you will probably find yourself working with a team
of professionals who work together to meet the child’s various needs. If you need to request
information from another professional who works with a specific child, such as a therapist or
healthcare provider, you will need to communicate with the child’s parents to ask for access to
that information. To do this, you can use a written permission form to document the parent’s
permission or ask the parent to arrange a meeting between you, the parents, and the therapist.
Asking for a meeting is often the best way to get the information you need. Parents may feel
more comfortable when they are present while information about their child is being discussed,
and the parent might be able to contribute even more detail to the discussion, which will help you
come up with more and better strategies to care for their child.
If another professional requests information from you about a particular child, you need to be
sure they have written permission from the parent before releasing any records. A separate form
is required for each agency or individual who requests access to the child’s information. There is
no specific form for requesting permission to access confidential information, but the form that is
used should include the following information:
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The name and address of the professional from which information is being requested,
The type of information requested,
The child’s full name and birth date,
A parent’s (legal guardian’s) name and signature, and
The date signed. Permission is valid for one year from the date signed, unless the parent
revokes the permission sooner.
When you receive a request for information, best practice is to discuss it with the parent before
releasing records, even if the person requesting it has written permission, so they can confirm
that they are okay with the information being shared. After you have written permission, you can
give and receive information about the child in many different formats, such as copies of records
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or reports, and telephone or personal consultations. Never give out any information you received
from another source, such as medical records.
The only time you can release information about a child without written permission from a
parent is when you have a reasonable concern that the child is a victim of abuse or neglect. In
this case, you are legally required to report your concerns to local authorities, and/or, in Texas,
the Department of Family and Protective Services.
What Do You Actually Do In Inclusive Care? - Identifying & Referring Children in Need
Another component of what you actually do in inclusive child care is identifying children who
need additional support and referring them to service providers who can meet their needs. To do
this, you need to be knowledgeable about the typical development of children in the age group
you care for, monitor each child’s development regularly, and be familiar with the services
available in your community to support individuals with disabilities and other needs.
During the preschool years, child care providers are in a unique position to observe children’s
progress and identify potential concerns. Though school-age children typically have more adults
supervising them across a greater variety of settings, it is still possible for a school-age care
provider to be the first to notice signs of a developmental concern.
Children develop at different rates and in different ways, so there is a broad range of abilities that
are considered normal for any given age group. Some differences may be related to each child’s
personality, temperament, and/or experiences. Some children may also have health needs that
affect their development. Know the typical patterns of growth and development and look for
patterns or clusters of behavior that could indicate underlying developmental issues.
If you have concerns about a child’s development, it may help to take notes to document the
specific behaviors you are seeing. Observe the child in a variety of settings, to see if the behavior
takes place no matter when and where you observe. Be objective, only recording what you see
and hear, without personal interpretations. Look at concerning behaviors in light of the whole
child to help discern if they could be related to a delay or disability, or if they are simply a
reflection of the child’s temperament or personality.
Consider using developmental checklists, which list typical behaviors for children in a particular
age range, to gauge whether the children in your care seem to be on track. Areas where a child’s
development is drastically different from normal age-appropriate behaviors, such as those on a
developmental checklist, are sometimes called “red flags.” Red flags are behaviors that should
warn you to stop, look, and think. Document your observations and help the child’s parent
arrange for additional assessment through your local school district.
If you see a child exhibiting developmental red flags, discuss your concerns with the family as
quickly as possible. The sooner the child receives treatment, the better her outcome will be. The
process of telling a family that their child is showing signs of a potential delay or disability and
telling them where to turn to have their child evaluated is called referral. The referral process
should be outlined in the written policies of your child care program. Typically the process
involves notifying parents of the concern, helping them contact the appropriate agency to seek a
screening or evaluation, and then, if the child is identified as having a delay or disability,
working with a team to create a plan to support the child’s development.
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It can be very difficult for parents to hear concerns about their child’s development or behavior.
These are sensitive issues. Having a strong relationship with a family will make it easier to
communicate with them if you need to have a conversation about developmental concerns. There
are some guidelines to keep in mind when talking with parents about your concerns. When you
need to share concerns with parents:
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Arrange a time to talk privately with the parents when children are not present,
Use a positive approach. Share examples of the child’s positive qualities and/or positive
interactions you have had with the child,
Share specific examples of behaviors that have sparked your concerns and how they
impact the child while in your care. Avoid references to any disability,
Share specific examples of strategies you have tried to help the child be successful in
child care,
Give parents time to process and respond to the information you share,
End on a positive note, emphasizing how important the child’s success is to you, and
If appropriate, ask parents to watch for similar behaviors for a set period of time, and
arrange for a follow-up meeting.
As soon as the parents are ready, help them develop a plan of action. Once the parent is notified
of the referral process, they have the right to refuse evaluation and services. If they choose to
move forward, let them know that the school district will provide free evaluations and
assessments to determine whether their child is eligible for services. The family will contact the
district directly to arrange a screening, but your support can be crucial in giving them the
confidence and motivation to reach out for help.
For preschool and school-age children, evaluation and service planning are typically conducted
by the local school district. Because of IDEA, one of the federal laws we discussed earlier in this
course, school districts are responsible for providing special education services that meet the
educational needs of children from age 3 to age 21. You might consider contacting your school
district before you actually need to refer a family, to get to know the procedures of the special
education department, and the key people families will need to work with.
The handout, “Tips for Child Care Providers to Communicate with Parents Concerns about
Children’s Development,” provides a good summary of the referral process.
[HANDOUT: Tips for Child Care Providers to Communicate with Parents Concerns about
Children’s Development]
What Do You Actually Do In Inclusive Care? - Planning for Individual Children (IEPs)
Another aspect of what you actually do in inclusive child care is planning for individual children.
Quality child care programs take each child’s needs, interests, and abilities into account when
planning, whether or not the child has a disability. For children with disabilities, this kind of
individualized planning is especially crucial, so there is a formal process that exists to make sure
these children’s educational needs are being met. As we just discussed, this process is probably
managed by the special education personnel in your local school district.
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If a child is found to be eligible for special education services, the school district works with the
family to set goals and choose which services will most benefit the child. A team approach is
used to develop an Individualized Education Program (or IEP) to document goals for the child’s
education and the services the child will receive to help him meet those goals. An IEP is
developed with input from parents, special education professionals, and other professionals with
relevant expertise.
As a child care provider, you can have an important role in the IEP process because you spend
regular time with the child. Your observations can help the team identify the child’s abilities and
needs. In order to attend an IEP meeting (called an Admission, Review, and Dismissal, or ARD
meeting) or consult with any team members, you must have written permission from the child's
parent or guardian. Some parents may not realize that you would be open to an invitation to an
ARD meeting or to having an IEP team member visit your program to evaluate the child, provide
services, or consult with you about strategies to work with the child. Explain to parents of
children with disabilities how your participation can enhance their child's experience in the child
care program. Some parents may still choose not to include you on the IEP team. This can
happen for many reasons, and is entirely the parent's choice. In these cases, work to build a
positive, trusting relationship with the parents and request information directly from them about
how you can best serve their child's needs.
The IEP provides information you can use to help adapt routines and activities for a child. When
a preschool or school-age child with a disability comes into your program, or when a child is
newly diagnosed with a disability, ask the parent to sit down with you and go over a copy of the
child’s IEP. With input from the parent, reviewing the IEP can provide information to help you
understand the child’s needs and guide decisions about how to adapt activities, materials, and
environments.
What Do You Actually Do In Inclusive Care? - Working with Services
Your role in the IEP process is to work as part of the team. To do this, you will need to
understand the roles of the various team members and the services they provide. Another answer
to the question, “What do you actually do in inclusive care?” is: work with service providers and
other members of the child’s support team. Individuals you might encounter as you work with
children with disabilities include: parents, other child care providers, allergists, cardiologists,
general practitioners, geneticists, pediatricians, speech therapists, audiologists, nutritionists,
occupational therapists, and so forth. Please take some time to review the handout, “Working
with Services” to learn more about potential team members and the various roles that they play
in working with children who have disabilities and other special needs.
Parents have the right to add anyone else to the team who they feel may be helpful in
determining the services their child needs. This might include a family friend who knows the
child well and serves as a support person for the family. If a guardian has been identified to
assume legal and/or parenting responsibilities upon the death of the parents, this individual may
also be invited to participate.
The members on the team will be different for each child. One child may have a genetic disorder
and require the expertise of numerous medical specialists, and another’s team may consist of
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several behavioral intervention specialists. Once the right team has been assembled, they can
identify the types of intervention that will help a child with a disability succeed.
What Do You Actually Do In Inclusive Care? - Viewing Inclusion as a Process
Children with disabilities need child care for the same reasons that other children need child care.
Quality care and inclusive care look the same because they are the same. Just as creating and
maintaining a high-quality program is a process that is never fully complete, inclusion is an
ongoing process. There is always more to learn. This is the last answer to our question about
what you actually do in inclusive child care: think of inclusion as a process, and never stop trying
to improve.
Please take a few minutes to read and complete the “Inclusive Child Care Checklist.” This
checklist is an informal evaluation of your child care program. As with most programs, you
probably have areas of strength and weakness. Based on your responses to items on the checklist,
what are some actions you could take to improve the quality of your program? Remember,
quality equals inclusion!
[ACTIVITY #3: Inclusive Child Care Checklist]
Like all high quality child care programs, inclusive environments require professionals to meet
daily challenges by continually assessing and revising of all aspects of the program. Keep in
mind that there is no such thing as a “one-plan fits all” strategy for inclusion. There are definitely
best practices for inclusive child care, and these practices may meet most children’s needs, but
inclusion is a daily process in which you seek new and better ways to help each child be truly
included. Each step in the process yields more skilled child care professionals and a better
environment. As the needs of the children change, so does the program.
Thinking of inclusion as a process allows you to build partnerships, recognize your strengths,
and overcome your weaknesses. It helps you become more patient and tolerant. Child care
providers in inclusive programs show sincere interest in each child and are eager to learn about
each child’s needs. The process of inclusion means using what you learn to adapt activities and
routines to children’s individual needs.
Inclusion is a process for parents too. They begin to trust you as they see their children enjoying
the joys of childhood. Before entering a child care program, many of their daily routines may
have revolved around specialists and tending to special needs. Through the process of inclusion,
they get to observe their children participating in typical activities with their peers. Parents learn
to collaborate with others and let others share in the care of their children. As the inclusion
process progresses, child care providers, parents, and children are building new skills and
beginning to fulfill their potential in different ways.
What Does a Typical Day Look Like in Inclusive Child Care?
Even if you have years of training and experience, you may feel overwhelmed at the thought of
caring for children with disabilities. However, like we have said before, a child with a disability
is, first and foremost, a child. Remember, children with disabilities and children without
disabilities are more alike than they are different. The strategies you use to care for and educate
all the children in your care are just as applicable in inclusive settings, but some children may
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need extra help and more time for practice. As we discussed earlier, you might need to make
some adaptations to the environment, materials, or activities to fully include all children in your
program. That brings us to our last question: What does a typical day look like in inclusive child
care?
Most preschool and school-age programs have schedules that serve as guides, but are also
flexible, so they can be matched to the needs of the children. Your own knowledge of the
children and the things you learn from conversations with parents can help you adjust the
schedule and routines to meet children’s needs. In general, whether your program is inclusive or
not, you probably spend your day doing things like: arrival time, snack and/or meals, rest time,
toileting and handwashing, indoor play, outdoor play, departure, and parent communication.
Let’s look at how each of these parts of your day might look in an inclusive environment.
Arrival. What happens when children arrive at your facility? Is everything chaotic as children
and adults frantically put their things away and try to figure out what they’re supposed to do
next? Or do children know what they’re doing and where they’re going so well that everything
runs like a well-oiled machine? The first moments a child spends in your program can set the
tone for the rest of the day. Having a clear arrival routine gives children a sense of stability. This
is especially true for children with disabilities that affect their ability to adjust to new situations,
such as certain cognitive disabilities or learning disabilities. Arrival should be both positive and
organized, so children know that your program is a fun, predictable, safe place. To create this
atmosphere, you might try:



Greeting each child by name and welcoming them warmly,
Assigning a specific place for each child to keep personal belongings, and
Having an activity children can jump into immediately after they put their things away.
Snack and/or meals. Did you know that the emotions children feel during meal and snack times
can influence how their attitudes about food and nutrition for the rest of their lives? Like arrival,
meal and snack times will flow more smoothly if children know exactly where they are supposed
to go and what they are supposed to do. When things flow smoothly, children and adults tend to
feel less stress, which makes the whole mood of the group more pleasant. For all children, but
especially children with disabilities, knowing exactly what to do can enable them to be more
independent while they are eating. Again, the goal is to create an organized, pleasant experience.
To do this, you can try:



Eating with the children and having fun, social conversations about things they are
interested in,
Providing appropriate sized furniture and the right utensils so that every child can feed
him or herself to the greatest extent possible, and
Having a solid routine so children know where to go and what to do to prepare for meals
and snacks.
Rest time. Depending on the ages of the children in your care, you might provide time for them
to rest each day. For preschoolers, this could mean a designated quiet time when many children
take a nap. While school-agers may not nap, they may still benefit from having quiet time to
unwind after busy school days. Certain children with sensory disabilities may feel overstimulated
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from time to time, and need areas with less noise and activity where they can go to relax. To
meet your children’s individual needs, you might try:




Providing rest time for any child who is in your care for five hours or longer on a given
day,
Observing each child in after-school care individually to determine whether they seem to
need a rest period or not,
Having quiet areas available where a child can go to get away from the stimulation of the
group. Be sure these areas are supervised by sight and sound at all times, just like any
other area accessible to children, and
Using things like soothing music, soft textures, reading stories, patting backs, and
speaking in quiet voices to promote an atmosphere of relaxation during rest times.
Toileting and handwashing. Self-care routines like toileting and handwashing can help children
build a sense of independence. These moments can be especially critical for children with
disabilities that affect their ability to do self-care tasks without assistance. Instead of thinking of
self-care as interruptions to learning time, view them as opportunities to promote children’s selfesteem. Try:



Allowing children, including children with disabilities, to do as much as possible for
themselves during self-care routines, even if it takes longer,
Having activities, like songs and word games, ready for wait times so children never feel
rushed during self-care routines, and
Having well-defined procedures so children know where to go and what to do. This is
especially important for children with cognitive, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities,
who may need a clear structure in order to successfully carry out routines.
Indoor play. In many child care programs, children spend a great deal of time playing indoors.
In inclusive programs, the goal is for children with and without disabilities to engage in the same
types of learning and play experiences. Since every child’s needs are different, there is no onesize-fits all formula for making this possible. As we have discussed, it might require modifying
the environment, activities, and/or materials. Caregivers need to observe each child to identify
strengths and areas of challenge, and then make the appropriate adjustments. Some things you
might try include:


Providing a variety of both structured and free-play opportunities to meet children’s
individual needs, and
Adapting materials to make them accessible for children with disabilities. Adaptations
might include adding positioning devices to allow children to play in the same areas as
peers, adjusting books and toys to make them easier to grasp, or adding sensory elements
(such as sounds, lights, or textures) to materials, depending on children’s needs.
Outdoor play. Outdoor play is an important part of the child care experience, as well. While
playing outside, children build physical, cognitive, and social emotional skills in ways that are
not possible indoors. Your job during outdoor play is to make sure the children are safe, help
them navigate social interactions, and encourage them to think and explore as they play. This
does not change in inclusive care settings. To make the most of outdoor play in inclusive child
care, you can:
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


Supervise with each child’s individual needs in mind. Some children’s motor skills
develop faster than others, and some children may have disabilities that make it more
challenging for them to access outdoor play equipment. Always monitor to make sure the
children are safe, and make adjustments whenever possible to make play equipment
accessible to everyone,
Be aware of peer interactions. Let children make decisions about who to play with and
practice solving their own disagreements, but be prepared to step in before problems get
out of hand, and
Extend and expand children’s play by suggesting ways to add onto their ideas and
themes. This can be especially useful in helping children find ways to include a peer with
a disability who wants to play with them.
Departure. By the time they leave your program, children are probably tired and excited to see
their families. Just like arrival, departure can be a stressful, chaotic time for both children and
adults. And, just like arrival, departure can be more pleasant and organized if you have a routine
for children and adults to follow. Here are some ideas:



Greet each parent and share at least one positive comment about their child’s day,
Say goodbye to each child individually, and let them know you are looking forward to the
next time you get to see them, and
Have a system so parents know where to go to find their children and children know
where to go to gather their belongings.
Parent communication. While it may not show up on your schedule, communication with
parents should be a big part of what you do each day. Think of parents as your partners, working
side-by-side with you to provide the best care possible for each child. This is especially true
when you are caring for a child with a disability. This child’s parent can give you information
that will help the child succeed in your program, and that is more likely to happen if you take the
time to build a relationship with the parent. You can do this by:




Speaking to each parent face-to-face as often as possible, and by using parents’ names,
Sending home notes about activities, routines, and special events so parents know what
their child is doing in child care,
Whenever possible, taking a few minutes each day to talk with each parent and find out if
they have any concerns or special instructions. Often a child’s needs will change from
day-to-day based on factors outside your control. Parents are the best source of
information about what is going on with the child, and
No matter what form of communication you use – face-to-face conversations, phone
calls, emails, or notes – making sure to include more positive thoughts about the child
and his or her involvement in your program than negative. Focus on the ways the child
succeeds and contributes in your program, rather than always focusing on what is not
working.
During this course, we have answered some key questions about inclusive child care for
preschool and school-age children.
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What is inclusion? Why should you work toward inclusion in your program? What do you
actually do in inclusive child care? And what does a typical day look like in an inclusive child
care program?
To answer the question, “What is inclusion?” we looked at formal definitions of inclusion and
characteristics of inclusive programs. When we asked, “Why should you work toward inclusion
in your program?” we discussed benefits of inclusive child care for everyone involved and
learned about laws and regulations that govern inclusive child care. Then we asked ourselves,
“What do you actually do in inclusive child care?” and we answered by assessing our attitudes
about inclusion, exploring children-first language, emphasizing the importance of maintaining
confidentiality, examining the identification and referral process, looking at the process of
creating an IEP and what your role might be, listing some professionals you might encounter on
a child’s IEP team and learning about their roles, and thinking about inclusion as an ongoing
process where there is always room for improvement. Then we brought it all together by
considering what some typical parts of your day might look like as your program becomes more
inclusive.
Here are the major messages we would like you to “take home” from this training:
•
Inclusion means that every child’s needs and abilities are considered, and every child is
given the chance to participate fully,
•
All inclusive programs share the characteristics of access, participation, and supports,
•
Inclusive child care is beneficial to children with and without disabilities, child care
providers, families, and the community,
•
Federal and state laws protect the rights of children with disabilities and provide
regulations for child care centers,
•
Your attitude about inclusion will affect your actions, and can determine whether your
efforts to create an inclusive program are successful or not,
•
All children are children first and our language and practices should reflect this fact,
•
You should maintain children’s and families’ confidentiality by safeguarding all their
private information,
•
A child who reaches important milestones much later than the same-age peers might be
experiencing a developmental delay and should be observed and referred for assessment,
•
Preschool and school-age children with special educational needs usually receive services
through the school district. These services are documented on an Individualized
Education Program (or IEP), along with goals for the child’s progress,
•
If you are invited to serve on an IEP team, your role is to help the team understand the
child’s needs and experiences in the child care setting, to provide ideas to help the child
be more successful across settings, and to find out what resources the other team
members can offer to help the child succeed,
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•
Inclusion is an ongoing process that changes as your knowledge, experiences, and
understanding grow, and as you encounter new children with different needs and abilities,
and
•
A typical day in an inclusive child care program looks very similar to a typical day in any
high-quality program, because quality and inclusion share similar characteristics.
Inclusive programs have the same types of routines and activities as any other program,
and, like other high-quality programs, they adjust each routine and activity to meet every
child’s individual needs as much as possible.
Thank you for your participation in this course, and for your desire to provide quality inclusive
child care.
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References
Amsden, D., Schoch,J., Griff-Cabelli, R. (2013). Guide to promoting inclusion in early
childhood programs. Newark, DE: University of Delaware, Delaware Institute of
Excellence in Early Childhood. Retrieved from
http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dms/epqc/birth3/files/guidetoinclusion
Child Care Aware of America. (2009). Choosing quality child care for a child with special needs.
NACCRRA 102e#784-0909. Arlington, VA: Retrieved from www.childcareaware.org
Child Care plus+: The Center on Inclusion in Early Childhood. (2007). The language of
Inclusion. (#14). Missoula, MT: University of Montana Rural Institute.
Retrieved from http://www.ccplus.org
Child Care plus+: The Center on Inclusion in Early Childhood. (2009). Inclusion: What it is and
what it isn’t. (#21). Missoula, MT: University of Montana Rural Institute.
Retrieved from http://www.ccplus.org
Child Care plus+: The Center on Inclusion in Early Childhood. (2012). Quality program =
inclusive program. (#32). Missoula, MT: University of Montana Rural Institute.
Retrieved from http://www.ccplus.org
CICC Center for Inclusive Child Care. (2010). Red flag and referral. St. Paul, MN: Concordia
University. Retrieved from www.inclusivechildcare.org
CICC Center for Inclusive Child Care. (2011). Addressing educational concerns: IDEA.
St. Paul, MN: Concordia University. Retrieved from www.inclusivechildcare.org
DEC/NAEYC. (2009). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Chapel Hill: The University
of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.
Mulligan, S.A. (2009). Child Care plus+ curriculum on inclusion: Practical strategies for
early childhood programs. Missoula, MT: University of Montana Rural Institute.
Rocky Mountain ADA Center. (2013). All kids count: Childcare and the ADA. Colorado
Springs, CO. Retrieved from www.adainformation.org/childcare
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. (2011). Tips for child care providers to communicate with
parent’s concerns about children’s development. Retrieved from
http://www.extension.org/page/28228/tips-for-child-care-providers
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. (2011). What do child care providers need to know about IEP’s
and IFSP’s? Retrieved from
http://www.extension.org/pages/61631/what-do-child-care-providers
Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center. ( ). “Journey Toward Inclusion”.
Online course retrieved from http://veipd.org/elearning
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This course was developed and produced by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of
the Texas A&M University System in cooperation with the Texas Department of Family
and Protective Services, Child Care Licensing Division, and using funds provided by the
Texas Workforce Commission.
*
We would especially like to thank Child Care plus+: The Center on Inclusion in Early
Childhood at the University of Montana Rural Institute (http://www.ccplus.org) for
allowing us to use and/or adapt content from their inclusive child care curriculum and
other publications.
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