California MAP
California MAP
Working Together

It’s All About Belonging

"When inclusive [practice] is fully embraced, we abandon the idea that children have to become 'normal' in order to contribute to the world. Instead, we search for and nourish the gifts that are inherent in all people. We begin to look beyond typical ways of becoming valued members of the community, and in doing so, begin to realize the achievable goal of providing all children with an authentic sense of belonging." --Norman Kunc (1992) broadreachtraining.com

Description of MAP Resources

California Teaching Pyramid

California Collaborative for the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning leads efforts to support social and emotional development in California. Area includes adapted materials and links to resources.

County Specific Resources

Organizations supporting children with disabilities and inclusion/behavior resources in each county are found here. “Guide” that explains them is also available.

Hot Topics

Areas of interest generated based on public requests for information.

Inclusion Works!

Inclusion Works! was written and developed by California MAP to Inclusion and Belonging… Making Access Possible director, Linda Brault. Building on research and the experience of years of effective implementation, this handbook contains stories and examples, as well as background information and resources that support strategies for successful inclusion.

MAP Newsletters

MAP Newsletters contain the very latest information, articles and web links added to the MAP website. They direct you to newly identified resources and topic areas. All of the newsletters provide useful tools, publications, training materials and other resources to support children with disabilities and special needs.

MAP Training PowerPoints™

Training PowerPoints™ developed by the California MAP to Inclusion and Belonging… Making Access Possible to use for ideas on talking with family members when concerned about a child as well as to better understand the California Early Start system.

Reports & Useful Documents

Dissemination of information in a useable format is one way to help create a statewide system of support, training, and resources that give all families and providers barrier-free access to inclusive child care.

Equity, Anti-Bias and Anti-Racism Resources

A new awareness of racism and systemic bias arose in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic. After witnessing the murder of George Floyd and the many more examples of inequity that we’ve seen recently, the early childhood field along with many other groups have recognized the urgent need for understanding of systemic bias and […]

Coping with Trauma: A Collection of Resources

The resources in the Coping with Trauma section of MAP will help you address the needs of children in times of violence and trauma. Some of the resources are specific to children with special needs and others are more general. Some of the resources are available in other languages as indicated.

Cultural Competency and Resources in Multiple Languages

In response to requests from the field for resources to support culturally competent work with children and families as well as easy access to resources in multiple languages, additional web resources have been identified and collected below.

Disability-Specific Information

Information, resources, national associations, and support groups are grouped alphabetically by specific disability. Under “General Disabilities” you’ll find helpful resources from the Center for Disease Control and information on rare disorders at the NORD website.

Early Identification: Learn the Signs Act Early

In collaboration with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Learn the Signs Act Early Grant partners in California, this area of MAP promotes the distribution of the free CDC materials on developmental milestones to aid families, early care and education providers, home visitors, health care providers and others in identifying the early signs of a developmental delay.

Family Engagement

The MAP… Making Access Possible Project team has identified the following websites and resources that support family engagement and promote partnerships with families.

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body

First Lady, Michelle Obama's national health initiative, "Let's Move," encourages physical activity for children and adults. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services all Americans, including those with disabilities, need physical activity to support physical and emotional health.

Inclusive Practice

Links to information, tools, websites and other resources that support the development, management and sustainability of inclusive practices in early care and education settings are found in this area.

Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health

This area of the website includes information about infant and early mental health initiatives in California and throughout the nation, organizations promoting infant and early mental health and research on brain development.

Legal & Licensing

State and federal organizations providing oversight of and services to children and families with disabilities, regulatory agencies and advocacy groups are found here. Key organizations in this area include the California Department of Developmental Services and the California Department of Education, Early Education and Support Division.

Organizations Designed for Families of Children with Disabilities

The organizations in this area of the website specifically address the information and support needs of families. Many of them are developed and managed by parents of children with disabilities. National, state and local websites with information specifically for families are also found here.

Policy/Trends

Associations, organizations promoting knowledge, information and best practices, research based organizations and newsletters on topics related to early education, child care and disability topics for children birth to age 21 are found here.

School Age & Beyond

To more effectively address the needs children older that five years of age the Map Team has focused attention on identifying resources to support youth and young adults in their school, after school programs and community activities.

Social-Emotional & Behavior

For this area of the MAP, research, tools, articles, resources and websites have been gathered to help explain and support the social and emotional development of children from birth through adolescence.

Training & Technical Assistance

The organizations in this area of the website provide technical assistance and/or training that may be useful to families, childcare providers, or preschools who are developing or supporting an inclusive setting for children. State and national organizations are listed here.

Video Collection

The MAP Video Collection was created in response to the need for easy access to videos that promote inclusion and support the needs of children with disabilities and/or special needs and their families.

Visual Supports

This area of the website identifies visual support websites with tools, tips and guidance to facilitate understanding, communication, organization, literacy and independence for all children.

Family Engagement Videos

This set of videos was compiled to inform and inspire educators and families to work together to support the education needs of children with disabilities. The focus is on family participation in developing and implementing meaningful Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), but other topics around family engagement are also covered. The information in yellow highlights key […]

Professional Development Opportunities Supporting Children with Disabilities: Virtual Conferences and Webinars

Find descriptions and links to upcoming virtual conferences supporting inclusion of young children with disabilities. Smaller bites of professional development are available with links to different webinars with an array of options to expand your knowledge in educating all children.

COVID-19 Emergency Alert! Outreach to Address the Decline in Referrals to Early Intervention Services

For your convenience, the contents of this page is available for download (PDF). Please distribute to families, child care providers and health care providers in an effort to identify children with developmental delays early! A Message from California’s Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris about Free Early Start Services The Early Start program, California’s early […]

Spotlight

Making Sound LRE Decisions in Preschool
Included in this document are Guiding Questions for Discussing Services in the LRE to make sound placement decisions for each young child with a disability.

Creating Equitable Learning Environments for Young Children of Color
This free publication was written primarily for child care and early education providers and program and school leaders.

The California Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Project
A series of free, evidence-based video and print resources that caregivers and educators can use to teach their kids critical mental health and coping skills.

The Danger of a Single Story
Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

Inclusion Works! Video Series
The six video series is now available for free viewing on the CDSS Streaming Video Subscription Service website.

Resource Guide for Developing Integrated Strategies to Support Social and Emotional Wellness in Children
Children may have strong feelings of fear, worry, sadness, and anger about the pandemic and related issues that impact behavior at home and in child care. This resource by the national Office of Child Care (OCC) addresses these issues.

Because of Oliver (Video)
Meet Oliver and learn about the magic that happens inside the circle! The second in a series, this book takes a playful look at what is possible when we think differently about human differences.

Sharing Our Journey
This set of 11 videos is aimed toward increasing equity and access to services for all families of children with developmental disabilities.

Responsive Early Education for Young Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness
This book published by the California Department of Education provides essential factual information and resources based on authentic vignettes created from interviews with children and families experiencing homelessness across California.

Advancing Equity Initiative
Equitable learning opportunities help young children thrive by recognizing and building on each child’s unique set of individual and family strengths, cultural background, home language, abilities, and experiences