Early Childhood Education Entrepreneurship Expo (ECE3) June 20,
2015 Guadalupe Pasillas, M.S.
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Seeing Children First Children with special needs are children
first.
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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
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Recognizing Each Childs 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.
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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.
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What is the role of my program? Assessment Referral Advocacy
Individualization Support Accommodations Collaboration Resources
Transition Monitoring
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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.
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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.
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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 providers resources or the
resources of the parent company.)
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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.
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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.
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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 childs 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.
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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, life- threatening
allergies to bee stings or certain foods, is not a valid reason for
excluding that child. cont.. next slide
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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 childs 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 age- appropriate classrooms.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 itPart
C of IDEA.Individuals with Disabilities Education Act This is why
you may hear early intervention referred to as Part C.
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Overview of Early Intervention or Part C Services What is Early
Intervention? Whos eligible? What is a developmental delay? What
should you do if youre concerned about an infant or toddler ? The
evaluations and assessment process? The IFSP? Sixteen Services Time
Frames Transition Process
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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 isnt meeting the
normal baby milestones such as rolling over by a certain age, or
sitting up, crawling, speaking, and so forth.
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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.
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How do you identify children currently enrolled in your
program? Screenings Health History Current health exam Observations
Conference with parents Attainment of major milestones
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Referral System cont Child and Family Connections Listing of
Illinois Illinois Department of Human Services- Bureau of Early
Intervention Early Intervention Revised 02/15
http://www.wiu.edu/ProviderConnections/links/CFCL ist.html
http://www.wiu.edu/ProviderConnections/links/CFCL ist.html
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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 Central/ West including the
following zip codes: 60601, 60612, 60616 60602, 60623, 60624 60603,
60632, 60644 60604, 60661 60605 60606 60607 60608
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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).
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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.
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IFSP- outlines the early intervention services that a child
will receive & must include the following; Childs 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.
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Childs IFSP must include the following: Where in the natural
environment (e.g., home, 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 childs transition out of early intervention and into another
program when the time comes.
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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.
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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, 321 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)
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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
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IEP-Individual Education Plan Plans developed to guide the
education of a child with special needs 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)
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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 childs 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
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How could child care providers support children with IEPs?
Teachers, Directors, Disability Coordinators or 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 teachers aide. Provider
teachers/child care providers with support and training
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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
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Supporting Parents- Common Reactions- Denial Anger Grief Loss
Fear Guilt Confusion Powerlessness Disappointment Rejection
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Supporting Parents Acknowledge, validate their feelings
Referring family to Service Coordinator Help them seek the
assistance of another parent (support 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
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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 childrens development with common expectations
and common language, provides suggestions and ideas on how to
create early experiences that benefit all childrens learning and
development.
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/guidelines/index.htm
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Resources 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
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Parents-Care.shtml
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Resources cont Child Care Aware. http://www.childcareaware.org/
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/
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/
http://nrckids.org/
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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 childs screening history and results.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/child-health-
development/watch-me-thrive
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/child-health-
development/watch-me-thrive
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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 childrens learning by improving the quality of early
care and education and afterschool programs.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/ Illinois Action for
Children-Provider Resources
http://www.actforchildren.org/site/PageServer?pagen
ame=Provider_Services
http://www.actforchildren.org/site/PageServer?pagen
ame=Provider_Services
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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/
http://www.childcarelaw.org/
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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! Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns
Website is -Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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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 childs 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 childs developmental health. So, look for your
childs milestones regularly, celebrate them, and record them to
share with your childs pediatrician using free resources for
parents from CDCs Learn the Signs. Act Early. program.Take the
milestones quiz on this pagefree resources for parents Great
resource for parents and staff. Videos and self quiz
available.