Early Childhood Education Entrepreneurship
Expo (ECE3)
June 20, 2015
Guadalupe Pasillas, M.S.
Seeing Children First –
Children with special needs are children first.
As child care providers you must
remember…
 Children with special needs are children first.
 They have the same needs as other children
 They need to be cared for in a place where they feel
comfortable, loved and secure.
 They need opportunities to play and learn
 They need people who care about them and provide
them with activities that will allow them to feel
successful
Recognizing Each Child’s
Uniqueness
 Each child and each disability is unique.
 A child with visual impairments has different needs
than a child with behavioral challenges
 A 2 year old child with a physical disability has
different abilities and challenges than a 4 year old
with the same disability.
 Some children have more than one disability and the
severity of each disability varies as well.
 In some instances, child care providers need to make
very few changes to accommodate children with
special needs.
Benefits of Including Children with
Special Needs in Child Care
 Everyone benefits when child care programs include
children with special needs.
 Children with disabilities benefit greatly from being
with other children and from receiving consistent
care from a caring adult.
 Typically developing children benefit from having a
classmate with a special need because they learn
respect for a child whose abilities are different from
theirs, as well as how to respond appropriately and
offer help to the child.
What is the role of my program?
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Assessment
Referral
Advocacy
Individualization
Support
Accommodations
Collaboration
Resources
Transition
Monitoring
Understanding the Law- Americans with
Disabilities Act ( ADA) is a federal law,
enacted in 1990.
 Guarantees that children with disabilities can not be
excluded from “public accommodations” simply
because of a disability.
 “Public accommodations” refers to private businesses
and includes preschools, child care centers, school age
child care programs, out-of-school time programs and
family child care homes.
Basic requirements of the ADA for Child
Care Centers Child care providers may not discriminate against persons
with disabilities. They must provide children and parents
with disabilities with an equal opportunity to participate
in their programs and services.
 Centers and providers cannot exclude children with
disabilities from their programs unless their presence
would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others
or require a fundamental alteration of their program.
Basic requirements of the ADA for Child
Care Centers Centers and providers must make reasonable
modifications to their policies and practices to include
children, parents, and guardians with disabilities in their
programs unless doing so would be a fundamental
alteration of their program.
 Centers and providers must provide appropriate auxiliary
aids and services needed for effective
communication with children or adults with disabilities,
unless doing so would be an undue burden (significant
difficulty or expense, relative to the childcare provider’s
resources or the resources of the “parent” company.)
Basic requirements of the ADA for Child
Care Centers Centers and providers must make their
facilities accessible to people with disabilities.
 In order to demonstrate “reasonable efforts,” childcare
providers must attempt to access available resources
outside of their programs. For example, resources to
support the inclusion of a child with a disability may be
provided by the Illinois Early Intervention System-Illinois
Department of Health and Human Services, or by a local
school district through its special education program.
How do I decide whether my center can meet
the needs of a child with a disability?
Child care providers must;
 make individualized assessments based on health
information, IEP, IFSPs
 meet with the parents or guardians and other professionals
who work with the child.
 Child care providers are not required to accept children
who would pose a direct threat or whose presence or
necessary care would fundamentally alter the nature of
their program.
What are some reasons that are not acceptable
for rejecting children with disabilities?
 Higher insurance rates are not a valid reason for
excluding children with disabilities. If any extra cost is
incurred, it should be treated as overhead and divided
equally among all paying families.
 The need of a child with a disability for individualized
attention is not a valid reason for excluding that child,
unless the extent of the child’s need for individualized
attention would fundamentally alter the child care
program or the cost of providing the individualized
attention would be an undue burden on the program.
What are some reasons that are not acceptable
for rejecting children with disabilities?
 The need for a child with a disability to bring a service animal,
such as a seeing eye dog, to the center, is not a valid reason for
excluding that child, even if the center has a “no pets”
policy. Service animals are not “pets.”
 The need for a child with a disability to receive
medication while at the childcare program is not a valid
reason for excluding that child.
 The fact that a child has allergies, even severe, lifethreatening allergies to bee stings or certain foods, is not a
valid reason for excluding that child.
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What are some reasons that are not acceptable
for rejecting children with disabilities?
 Childcare providers need to be prepared to take appropriate
steps in the event of an allergic reaction, such as administering
a medicine called “epinephrine” that will be provided in
advance by the child’s parents or guardians.
 Delayed speech or developmental delays are not valid reasons
for rejecting children with disabilities. Under most
circumstances, children with disabilities must be placed in ageappropriate classrooms.
What are some reasons that are not acceptable
for rejecting children with disabilities?
 Mobility impairments are not valid reasons for rejecting
children with disabilities. Some children with mobility
impairments may need assistance in taking off and putting on
leg or foot braces during the day. As long as doing so would
not be so time-consuming that other children would have to be
left unattended, or so complicated that it can only be done by
licensed health care professionals, it would be a reasonable
modification to provide such assistance.
 The need for toileting is not a valid reason for rejecting
children with disabilities, even if the provider has a general rule
about excluding children over a certain age unless they are
toilet-trained. Under state regulations, the childcare provider
must have an approved toileting area if toileting services are
provided for any child, regardless of age.
What is a reasonable reason to not accept
a child with disabilities?
 Children who pose a direct threat - a substantial risk of
serious harm to the health and safety of others - do not
have to be admitted into a program.
 This determination, however, must be based on
an individualized assessment that considers the particular
activity and the actual abilities and disabilities of the
child.
 It should also be done after all attempts to support the
child in the classroom have proved to be non-effective.
The Referral System- Children Birth
to Five
 In order to ensure that all infants and toddlers with
disabilities receive appropriate services, each State
must have a system in place to identify, and evaluate
children who may be eligible for early intervention
services under Part C, or special education services
under Part B of the IDEA .
 As part of fulfilling that obligation, states operate
a child find system, which must include procedures
for referring a child to early intervention or the local
public school system.
Early Intervention is…..
 Authorized by law.
 Early intervention is available in every state and
territory of the United States.
 The Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) requires it–Part C of IDEA.
 This is why you may hear early intervention referred
to as Part C.
Overview of Early Intervention or
Part C Services
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What is Early Intervention?
Who’s eligible?
What is a developmental delay?
What should you do if you’re concerned about an
infant or toddler ?
The evaluations and assessment process?
The IFSP?
Sixteen Services
Time Frames
Transition Process
The Referral Process
 Note: Anyone may refer a child to Early Intervention
 Children who are diagnosed at birth with a specific
condition or who experience significant prematurity, very
low birth weight, illness, or surgery soon after being born
are referred to E.I. from the hospital.
 Other children may develop more slowly than others,
experience set backs, or develop in ways that seem very
different from their peers. In these cases, a developmental
pediatrician visit may lead to an early intervention referral.
Or perhaps the referral comes from a childcare provider,,
family member, or friend who notices that the child isn’t
meeting the normal “baby” milestones such as rolling over
by a certain age, or sitting up, crawling, speaking, and so
forth.
Referral System cont…
 Under the Part C regulations, referrals need to be
made as soon as possible, after the child is
identified as possibly having a developmental delay
or disabilities.
How do you identify children
currently enrolled in your
program?
 Screenings
 Health History
 Current health exam
 Observations
 Conference with parents
 Attainment of major milestones
Referral System cont…
Child and Family Connections Listing of Illinois
Illinois Department of Human ServicesBureau of Early Intervention Early Intervention
Revised – 02/15
 http://www.wiu.edu/ProviderConnections/links/CFCL
ist.html
http://www.wiu.edu/ProviderConnections/links/
CFCList.html
 Child & Family
Connections
 Sun Gate Park
5422 W. Roosevelt
Chicago, IL 60644
773/830-5200
Fax: 773/830-5201
Toll Free #: 844/621-2911
 *Cook County Chicago
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Central/ West including
the following zip codes:
60601, 60612, 60616
60602, 60623, 60624
60603, 60632, 60644
60604, 60661
60605
60606
60607
60608
What happens after CFC has been contacted?
 Once a referral is done to Child & Family Connections
they have 45 days from referral to completion of the
IFSP, if the child is eligible.
The following must be completed within this timeframe;
 initial evaluation of the child,
• initial assessments of the child and family, and
• writing the IFSP (if the child has been found eligible).
What Do Child Care Providers Need to Know
about IFSPs?
 An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is a
document intended to help families and
professionals, within a community, support the
special needs of a child under age 3. The IFSP
focuses on providing supports and services to the
family of a very young child with special needs in
order to help that family enhance their child's growth
and development.
IFSP- outlines the early intervention services that a
child will receive & must include the following;
 Child’s present physical, cognitive, communication,
social/emotional, and adaptive development levels and
needs
 Family information, including the resources, priorities, and
concerns of you, as parents, and other family members
closely involved with the child
 The major results or outcomes expected to be achieved for
your child and family
 The specific services your child will be receiving.
Child’s IFSP must include the following:
 Where in the natural environment (e.g., home,
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community) the services will be provided (if the services
will not be provided in the natural environment, the IFSP
must include a statement justifying why not)
When and where your son or daughter will receive
services
The number of days or sessions he or she will receive
each service and how long each session will last
The name of the service coordinator overseeing the
implementation of the IFSP
The steps to be taken to support your child’s transition
out of early intervention and into another program when
the time comes.
How to best support child & family?
 The best way to support children and meet their needs is to
support and build upon the individual strengths of their family.
So, the IFSP is a whole family plan with the parents as major
contributors in its development.
 Child Care providers should meet with parents and
administrators to discuss the IFSP and how accommodations
could be made to support the implementation of the IFSP in the
child care setting.
 In addition (with parent consent) there should be ongoing
communication with EI providers, as many times the services are
provided onsite at the child care center.
 Communication is key for everyone involved with the child.
Special Education Services
 Are described under Part B Services of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act -IDEA,
 Focused on the educational needs of the child.
Provides special education and related services for
students with disabilities, 3‐21 years old,
 Helps them to develop the skills necessary for
successful school performance in kindergarten and
other grades.
 Provides a free and appropriate public education
(FAPE)
Overview of Part B Services through local
Public School System
 Screening and Referral (documents, screenings,
observations)
 Determination of Eligibility
 Evaluation Date
 IEP (If found eligible)
 School Placement
 Transportation Services
 Process is a little different of you receive funding though
Dept. of Family & Support Services Head Start
IEP-Individual Education Plan
 Plans developed to guide the education of a child with special needs
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between ages 3 and 21 in the early childhood or school setting.
What an IEP Includes
• Present levels of academic and functional performance
• Annual goals
• Measurements of progress and how progress will be shared
• What special education and related services will be provided » how
often they will be provided (frequency) » how long they will be
provided (duration) » where they will be provided (location) » who will
provide the services
• How the child will access the general education curriculum. (See
handbook for more information)
IEP Timelines to Remember
 • The IEP meeting must occur within 60 school days from
the date of the referral.
 • The IEP must be reviewed at least once a year; however, an
IEP meeting can be convened at any time to discuss
changes or revisions.
 • Parents must be informed of their child’s progress on IEP
goals at least as often as parents of nondisabled children.
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For more information
 http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/pdfs/parent_guide_english_pf.pdf
Educational Rights and Responsibilities:
Understanding Special Education in Illinois
Illinois State Board of Education Special Education and Support
Services
How could child care providers
support children with IEPs?
 Teachers, Directors, Disability Coordinators or
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Education Coordinators should meet with parents to
review IEP and discuss ways to support the child in the
classroom.
Make appropriate accommodations
Obtain appropriate resources
If necessary, seek the support of a para-professional or
a teacher’s aide.
Provider teachers/child care providers with support
and training
How could child care providers
support children with IEPs?
 Monitor that services are being provided at the local
public school.
 Check in regularly with parent
 When possible seek update reports from special
education teacher or therapist at the child’ s school.
 Seek additional resources, for example;
Mental Health consultant
RCAAD-Resource Center for Autism and Developmental Delays
10 South Kedzie, Room 202 Chicago, IL 60612
p: 312.746.5447 f: 312.743.0391
Supporting ParentsCommon Reactions Denial
 Anger
 Grief
 Loss
 Fear
 Guilt
 Confusion
 Powerlessness
 Disappointment
 Rejection
Supporting Parents
 Acknowledge, validate their feelings
 Referring family to Service Coordinator
 Help them seek the assistance of another parent (support
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groups)
Encourage them to talk with family, spouse, significant
others
Encourage them to learn the terminology related to
disability
Encourage parents to seek information
Support parents through the referral process
Advocate on behalf of children and families
Resources
 Illinois Early Learning Project
Where Can Parents Find Help for Young Children with Special Needs?
( Recursos en Espanol)
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/faqs/special-needs.htm
Illinois Early Intervention Training System
http://www.illinoiseitraining.org/page.aspx?item=93
 Illinois Early Learning Guidelines: For Children Birth to Age Three
(Disponible en Espanol) - Guidelines offers early childhood
professionals a cohesive analysis of children’s development with
common expectations and common language, provides suggestions and
ideas on how to create early experiences that benefit all children’s
learning and development.
 http://illinoisearlylearning.org/guidelines/index.htm
Resources
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Hands on Activities Databse
http://farpoint.fcs.uga.edu/moodle/LADB/
AblePlay
http://www.ableplay.org/
Child Care resources.
The USA.gov website can connect you with the Child
Care Finder, child care licensure regulations (by
state), the locator for Head Start programs, tips on
childproofing your home, and tips on choosing child
care for your baby or young child.
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Parents-Care.shtml
Resources cont…
 Child Care Aware.
http://www.childcareaware.org/
 Healthy Kids, Healthy Care.
This website was developed by the National Resource
Center for Health in Child Care and Early Education.
http://healthykids.us/
 National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child
Care and Early Education.
This organization addresses the issues of safety and
health in child care and early education settings. They
also provide licensure regulations from 50 states and DC.
Lots of info in Spanish, too!
http://nrckids.org/
Early Childhood Development
An Office of the Administration for Children & Families
Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! resources include:
 A list of research-based developmental screening tools appropriate
for use across a wide range of settings;
 Guides on how to use the screeners for a variety of audiences, from
early learning teachers to doctors, social workers, and families;
 Toolkits with resources and tip sheets;
 Guidance on finding help at the local level; and
 A screening passport that allows families to track a child’s screening
history and results.
 http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/child-health-
development/watch-me-thrive
Resources
 Office of Child Care.
The Office of Child Care, a program of the
Administration for Families and Children, supports
low-income working families through child care
financial assistance and promotes children’s learning
by improving the quality of early care and education
and afterschool programs.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/
 Illinois Action for Children-Provider Resources
 http://www.actforchildren.org/site/PageServer?pagen
ame=Provider_Services
Resources
 Child Care Law Center.
Want a quick reference to the ADA for child care
providers? Want to know when a child care program is
required under the ADA to admit a child with a
disability? Visit the Child Care Law Center and find
handy information.
http://www.childcarelaw.org/
Resources
 Child Care Providers
 Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing
Concerns provides tools and best practices to help you
work with families to monitor the development of
every child in your care, share your concerns with
families in a positive way, and help families get
connected to services and support that can make a real
difference. The 1-hour training is FREE, available
online, and is approved for continuing education
credit. Take the training today and help make a
difference in the lives of all the children in your care!
Website is -Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Resources
 Parents
 Think you can spot a developmental milestone? Take the
milestones quiz on this page to find out! Developmental
milestones are skills that mark a child’s development; things
most children can do by a certain age. Milestones like babbling,
finding hidden objects, and playing alongside or with other kids
provide clues about your child’s developmental health. So, look
for your child’s milestones regularly, celebrate them, and record
them to share with your child’s pediatrician using free resources
for parents from CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. program.
 Great resource for parents and staff. Videos and self quiz
available.