Providing care for a child with special needs can be quite a challenging in the child care environment, especially when you are also responsible for the care of other children who may or may not have special needs. But caring for a child with special needs can also be very rewarding.
The Rewards
Together, all of the children in your program will benefit when they are nurtured whether or not they have a disability. Many children in child care show improved self-concept, social skills and problem solving behaviors. Children without disabilities demonstrate increased tolerance, show care and concern and tend to exhibit less fear of human differences. Children with disabilities learn important personal and social skills that they may not otherwise learn in a segregated setting. The families of children with disabilities will also benefit from an integrated child care environment by being able to choose from child care services within their own communities instead of having to travel far distances or having fewer options.
The Responsibilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) affords children with mental or physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in all activities and to benefit from being in a child care setting with other children of similar age who do not have a disability.
Depending on the type and severity of a child's disability and the child's ability level, you may have to make some reasonable accommodations so that the child can fully participate. But these accommodations do not have to be major and should not prevent you from caring equally for both the child with a disability and the non-disabled children.
Focusing on the child's abilities will give you a good place to start when planning your program. All too often providers focus on the child's limitations rather than her abilities. Focusing on the child's abilities fosters the exploration of options and ideas that will benefit not only the child, but also the non-disabled children and the caregiver.
If you do find that you need to make some accommodations, they might include:
*Child care policies and procedures changes:
1. Revise the daily schedule to accommodate more time for completing tasks.
2. Include a "No Tolerance" rule that prohibits teasing, name calling or using hurtful words while in your child care home or center.
*Curriculum changes:
Changes could be made to your planned activities and schedule that would fit the needs of a child with a disability, such as:
1. preparing materials that she would be able to utilize alongside the other children,
2. allowing more time for a particular activity,
3. having other activities available for the children who complete the task at hand, and
4. seating the child with special needs close to you so she can have one-to-one assistance when needed.
*Additional disability-specific training:
1. Contact the ADA or your community resource and referral to get information about any local disability training classes or workshops that you could attend for free or at low cost.
*The removal of physical barriers:
1. Arrange furniture such as tables, chairs, easels, bookcases, etc. to allow free movement for a child with a disability, and
2. display toys and other materials at an accessible level.
*Provisions for adaptive equipment that a child with a disability may use:
1. Find out what adaptive items the child will be using while in your care. Items such as wheelchairs, walkers and leg braces should be considered when arranging furniture. Bathrooms must also be wheelchair accessible and properly modified (e.g., support bars). You can find out more about the ADA's Accessibility Guidelines and available grants by contacting the Access Board by phone at (800) 872-2253 or [(TDD) (800) 993-2822)].
There are many local, state and national resources available to help you learn more about specific characteristics of a particular disability and the various accommodations that could be made to your child care environment.
Working together with parents as partners in the care of their children is one of the best ways to accommodate children with special needs into your program. Communicating on a daily basis with parents about their child and inquiring about their child's abilities, shows concern and expresses your willingness to work in the best interest of the children.
With these accommodations, there is no reason why a child with a disability cannot be included in the regular routine and activities that are offered to children without disabilities.
Caregiver Support System
Some helpful sources of information and support are:
*Communicating with the parent(s) daily.
*Talking with other caregivers who may have had similar experiences.
*Reading books and articles.
*Attending workshops and trainings.
*Browsing the internet.
*Contacting your local hospital's parenting or family resource center.
*Joining a child care provider association or support group.
All of these supports and resources will help you to gain the confidence and knowledge to provide a quality program that includes children with and without disabilities.
References:
*Child Care Settings and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Department Of Justice #101-33 Revised April 1994.
*Biklen, C., Corrigan, C., & Quick, D. (1989). Beyond obligation: Students'relations with each other in integrated classes. In D. Lipsky & A. Gartner(Eds.), Beyond separate education: Quality education for all. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.