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Transition in Early Childhood at Age Three for Children with Special Needs

Transition in Early Childhood at Age Three for Children with Special Needs

This PowerPoint™ is designed to assist early educators in understanding transition out of the Early Start early intervention system when a child reaches three years of age.

Overview of California Early Start

Updated July 2015 to reflect changes in state law as of January 2015
This PowerPoint™ is designed to assist early educators in understanding the Early Start early intervention system when a child in their care, birth to age three years of age, has an identified disability or when they have concerns that a child in their care, birth to age three years of age, might have a disability, developmental delay or be at risk for a developmental disability. There are two parts of this resource: the Brief Overview and Journeys Through Early Start that includes stories of three children to illustrate the various ways that children can enter and receive services.

Talking with Parents When You Have Concerns About a Child in Your Care

This PowerPoint™ and accompanying article is designed to provide a framework for caregivers (anyone providing child care or out-of-school care for children) when they have concerns that a child in their care might have a developmental delay, disability, or significant behavior problem; when preparing to share concerns with a child’s parents or family members (anyone raising the child); or in understanding different ways family members will receive and act on an expressed concern.

Available translations:

National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (NPDCI)

The National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (NPDCI) is working with states to ensure that early childhood teachers are prepared to educate and care for young children with disabilities in settings with their typically developing peers.

  • Additional Resources from NPDCI

    • Early Childhood Inclusion
      Two major early childhood organizations, DEC and NAEYC, created a joint definition and position statement on early childhood inclusion through a process facilitated by the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (NPDCI). Return here often to discover new resources and examples for using these resources to improve early childhood services.
    • Foundations of Transition Video
      Today, most families of young children use and move between different types of early childhood services — like Head Start, private child care, public preschool, or kindergarten. Moving between and among these various programs is often referred to as ’transition’.” This 8-minute video provides an overview of the desirable outcomes of transition, research identifying effective transition practices, as well as the legal requirements of early childhood transition (running time: 8 min. 19 sec.)
    • Speaking of Inclusion (Blog)
      Inclusion insights, stories and resources for professional development providers as well as practitioners, policy makers and parents. An informative blog brought to you by the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. Your comments are invited.
    • Response to Intervention in Early Childhood (RTI-EC)
      The NPCDI facilitated a process with The Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the National Head Start Association (NHSA) to create a reliable source of information on the emerging practice of Response to Intervention in Early Childhood.
    • Quality Inclusive Practices: Resources and Landing Pads
      Provides brief descriptions and supporting references for evidence-based and promising practices that support early childhood inclusion.
    • Building Inclusive Child Care
      Universal Design for Learning rom North Hampton Community College

Fathers Network

The Fathers Network is a nonprofit organization that serves as an advocate for men and believes they are crucially important in the lives of their families and children. The network provides supports and resources to fathers and families of children with developmental disabilities and chronic illness, as well as to the professionals who serve them.

Disability Is Natural

This Web site created by Kathie Snow includes her widely used article on “people-first language” and other resources to support inclusion. She challenges outdated ways of thinking and helps parents, people with disabilities, and professionals acquire new perceptions and attitudes—the first rung on the ladder of change.

Center for Inclusive Child Care (CICC)

The mission of the Center for Inclusive Child Care is to create, promote and support pathways to successful inclusive care for all children. The project is a comprehensive resource network for promoting and supporting inclusive early childhood and school-age programs and providers. We provide leadership, administrative support, training, and consultation to early care and education providers, school-age care providers, parents, and the professionals who support providers and parents of children with special needs. The Center for Inclusive Child care envisions weaving the common threads of knowledge, respect and sensitivity to create and sustain opportunities for high quality, culturally responsive inclusive care in which children and their families are supported and nurtured.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 103,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. ASHA’s mission is to ensure that all people with speech, language, and hearing disorders have access to quality services to help them communicate more effectively.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the nation’s largest organization of early childhood professionals and others dedicated to improving the quality of early childhood education programs for children birth through age eight. NAEYC’s primary goals are to improve professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education and to build public understanding and support for high-quality early childhood programs.

Infant Development Association of California (IDA)

The Infant Development Association of California (IDA) is a multidisciplinary organization of parents and professionals committed to optimal developmental and positive social and emotional outcomes for infants, birth to three, with a broad range of special needs and their families. IDA advocates improved, effective prevention and early intervention services while providing information, education, and training to parents, professionals, decision makers, and others.