child care inclusion – eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019

Caring for Children with Special Needs from Military Families

Child using reverse walker
Being a child care provider means doing your very best to provide excellent care and learning opportunities to young children, including those with disabilities and other special needs. A recent study has found that child care providers who have experience and training in caring for children with special needs along with typically developing children find it challenging, but also rewarding, to be able to provide such a valuable support to these families.*

Added Challenges for Military Families

Providing valuable support …

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019

Talking with and about Children with Special Needs

Serious-looking toddler boy

Working with children who have special needs can be rewarding, and including children with special needs in your child care program can help all children learn. As a child care provider, you can set a tone of respect for all children by choosing your words carefully when you talk about children with disabilities.

Choosing Your Words Carefully

The words you use to describe special needs set the tone in your child care program. The children you care for will pick …

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019

Specific Ideas for Child Care Providers to Help Children with Learning Disabilities

Puzzle

Working with children who have learning disabilities can be a challenge for child care providers. Children with learning disabilities generally go the same developmental stages as typically-developing children, but they may learn certain skills much more slowly. Creating a learning program that is sensitive to the learning needs of all children is the best way to ensure that children with learning disabilities have opportunities to learn.

The first step in helping children with learning disabilities is to know the children …

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019

Specific Ideas for Child Care Providers to Help Children with Visual Disabilities

Child wearing glasses

The child care setting can be a confusing place for children with visual disabilities. Children who cannot see well are sometimes delayed in developing physical and motor skills. They may have trouble locating or picking up small objects that have been dropped. They may spill things or bump into things. Child care providers can help children with visual disabilities succeed in the child care setting. Children who cannot see well often learn through other senses, such as hearing and touching. …