California MAP* to Inclusion and Belonging… *Making Access Possible August 2022 Newsletter
Summertime Inclusion Strategies, Resources to Support Families & Professional Development
Summer is a great time for reading, playing and planning for the fall. The California MAP to Inclusion & Belonging… Making Access Possible has gathered books, guides and tools that focus on creating a sense of belonging for children with disabilities beyond the classroom in all kinds of out of school time activities and in the community. You’ll also find resources to help early care and education providers support families in learning about and advocating for inclusion, engaging families, supporting fathers and autism. To help you plan for the coming year we’ve featured professional development opportunities including upcoming conferences and webinars! Then we give you bonus content with two new documentaries by people with disabilities! MAP gives you a bounty of inclusion resources to explore this summer!
In this issue:
- Book Recommendations for Disability Pride Month
- Summertime Inclusion Strategies: Free Guides and Tools
- From Transition to Inclusion: Key Resources for Families
- A Guide to Inclusion for Down Syndrome
- Resources for Family Engagement
- Supporting Fathers of Children with Special Needs
- Autism: From Awareness to Acceptance
- Professional Development
- Training Opportunities for Family Child Care Providers
- Powerful Documentaries!
1. Book Recommendations for Disability Pride Month
July was disability pride month, but we are still celebrating because disability can be a source of pride anytime! Check out the New York Public Library’s recommendations to celebrate people with disabilities for readers of all ages. Read the article and get links to the books that interest you below.
Celebrating Disability Pride Month (July) With Books for All Ages
New York Public Library | July 1, 2022”Welcome to… Disability Pride Month! Celebrated in July to commemorate the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law in July, 1990, it's a time to celebrate people with disabilities which is roughly 15% of the world’s population and 1 in 4 Americans. Not every disability is visible or obvious and anyone of any age can be disabled.”
“Maybe you yourself are disabled and want to finally see yourself in the books you read; maybe someone you love is disabled and you want to learn more to meet them where they are; maybe you’ve realized that you’ve never read a book by a disabled author and want to change that; or maybe you just want a book that reflects the diversity of the world around you. This booklist spans all age groups, genres, and formats, from children’s picture books and teen novels to adult poetry, nonfiction, memoirs, and more.”
2. Summertime Inclusion Strategies: Free Guides and Tools
Understanding Ourselves and Others: A Summer Guide to Inclusive Play from Inclusive Schools and Say “Yes” to Kids with Disabilities: Stories and Strategies for Including All Kids from a group in Seattle both offer unique approaches to inclusion outside of the classroom. The first is geared toward promoting inclusive opportunities for elementary age students and provides books, tools and activities to facilitate interactions between children with and without disabilities. The second offers stories of successful inclusion that overcome barriers to inclusion in a variety of settings. Kids Included Together offers more tips for out of school time inclusion in the article, Summer Camp Means Fun for All: How to Create a More Inclusive Camp.
A Summer Guide to Inclusive Play
The Inclusive Schools Network, in collaboration with Finding My Way Books and Changing Perspectives , is pleased to share Understanding Ourselves and Others: A Summer Guide to Inclusive Play. Designed for K-8 students, the guide provides parents, caregivers, camp counselors, and others with strategies and activities to build student confidence and encourage belonging during the summer months.
Although opportunities to develop the essential skills of empathy, self-awareness, confidence, and inclusion are present every day, the summer hiatus from school offers unique possibilities for students to travel, attend camps, connect with kids from other schools, and engage socially in more unstructured ways than during the scheduled academic year. It is a prime time to nurture our young people to become confident, inclusive changemakers for tomorrow.
This guide provides books, tools and activities that help parents and care providers facilitate interactions, empathy and inclusion between children with and without disabilities. It includes recommendations for children’s books that normalize disability and includes tools to help emphasize similarities between children and characters in books or in real life. Everyone who wants to promote friendships and inclusion will find something useful and inspirational in this Guide.
Say “Yes!” to Kids with Disabilities: Stories and Strategies for Including All Kids
This guide, created by Seattle Children’s PlayGarden with King County Public Health’s Best Start for Kids Initiative, is a very thoughtful, respectful tool kit intended to open hearts, minds and access to play grounds, sports, after school activities, summer camps, art programs and other recreational programs to children with disabilities. Readers are given an opportunity to reflect on what they’ve experienced as they read the stories and strategies with questions following each section. Child care providers, preschool teachers, families and anyone who works with children will enjoy this tool kit. Start at the beginning! You don’t want to miss the orientation to the book or the introduction.
“In this toolkit you will not see a list of the “benefits of inclusion.” We are beyond having to justify what is a basic human right of all children: the right to play. Every child’s right to play is a fundamental human right as enshrined in article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (International Play Association, 2018). Instead, what you will find here are stories - stories from parents, youth service organizations, and from children themselves. Through these stories, we learn about the barriers to participation and what has worked to break down these barriers.”
Summer Camp Means Fun for All: How to Create a More Inclusive Camp
KIT | May20, 2022Kids Included Together (KIT) says, “Pinpointing exactly what it means and looks like to be inclusive can be tough because creating a sense of belonging for each child will differ from person to person and camp to camp. But, that’s really what it is – creating a sense of belonging for each camper.”
“So, where do you start and how do you know if you’ve gotten there? Well, providing a meaningful experience for every camper may look varied, but it will be rooted in a few universal principles.” This article provides helpful considerations to add to KIT’s inclusion checklist .
3. From Transition to Inclusion: Key Resources for Families
For children with disabilities the transition from early intervention services to preschool services is an important one. Families will need information and support to prepare for this change and to be able to make informed decisions in planning for and participating in their child’s first Individual Education Plan (IEP) that will determine school placement and services. MAP introduces three resources designed for families: an Early Childhood Transition Guidebook from PACER Center; Achieving Inclusion: What Every Parent Should Know When Advocating for Their Child by Julie Causton and Kristen Kasa; and Least Restrictive Environments by the Center for Parent Information and Resources.
Early Childhood Transition Guide Book: What You Need to Know Before Your Child’s Third Birthday
PACER CenterA child’s third birthday is an important day. Aside from being a time to celebrate, it also marks the transition from California Early Start Early Intervention Services to a preschool option. This transition changes the services available to families and how they are provided, as the focus moves from the child with a disability or developmental delay and the family to just the child. This free, downloadable, 11 page guidebook includes information on what transition is, how and when to plan for it, how to determine if a child is eligible for special education services, how to implement the transition plan, and what to do if the child is not eligible for special education services. Find tips and facts that can help families plan for this important change in services before age three.
For more information on transition see the Head Start Disabilities Services Newsletter, the July 2022 Issue 57, Transition from Part C Early Intervention Services: Preparing Toddlers and Families for Preschool .
Achieving Inclusion: What Every Parent Should Know When Advocating for Their Child (PDF)
Julie Causton and Krista Kasa, Inclusive SchoolsInclusion is a legally-supported, evidence-based practice that continues to show positive outcomes for students with and without disabilities in schools. Where a child is educated is one of the most important educational decisions a team can make. Parents are an essential component of that team.
This 16 page guide provides an introduction to inclusion for families. Ideas presented here help parents to articulate a clear vision and work in collaboration with their school team to advocate for their child to successfully achieve meaningful inclusion. It explores questions that parents frequently have about inclusion and provides guidance for how parents can be an effective member of the IEP Team supporting inclusion. More resources on inclusion for parents can be found on the Inclusive Schooling website including a Checklist of Sample Supports, Aids and Services(PDF) .
Least Restrictive Environments
Center for Parent Information and Resources | April 2022“Least restrictive environment, or LRE as it is more commonly called, is one of several vital components in the development of a child’s IEP and plays a critical role, influencing where a child spends his or her time at school, how services are provided, and the relationships the child develops within the school and community. Indeed, LRE is a foundational element in building an appropriate IEP that can improve outcomes for a child—in school and in life.”
This webpage walks you through the legal definition of LRE, how placement decisions are made and parents rights. It’s available in English and Spanish.
4. A Guide to Inclusion for Down Syndrome
Do you have a child with Down Syndrome in your program? Are you the parent of a child with Down Syndrome? Down Syndrome: Guidelines for Inclusive Education is a compelling and useful guide to the inclusion of children with Down Syndrome with their peers in general education settings.
Down Syndrome: Guide for Inclusive Education
National Down Syndrome Society | December 2021Download the publication after completing the informational form .
Down Syndrome: Guidelines for Inclusive Education is the first document of its kind in the United States. The document addresses the education settings that support students with Down syndrome, covering the period from early intervention and primary education through secondary and through higher education, with the primary focus being K-12 students.
These guidelines draw on recommendations developed by an expert working group of a United Kingdom All Party Parliamentary Group on Down Syndrome (APPGDS), first published by the APPG in 2012.1 The report is available at: https://go.dselink.net/appg-education-report The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and Down Syndrome Education International (DSEI) assembled a working group to adapt the APPGDS recommendations for the U.S. early intervention, preschool and school systems. The Guidelines Working Group includes several members of the NDSS Inclusive Education Task Force, a group of volunteers with a range of expertise and experience, dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with Down syndrome through the promotion of inclusive education.
5. Resources for Family Engagement: To Help Care Providers and Families
Brookes’ publishing offers a free tool kit to help you engage families in nurturing their children’s development and a blog post with questions designed by experts to help you get to know families. Download Engaging Families in Healthy Development, adapted from the Ages and Stage Questionnaire and explore 25 Questions to ask Families of Young Children to help you become better prepared to support families.
Engaging Families in Healthy Development- Free Tool Kit
Ages and Stages & Brooke’s Publishing | 2022Adapted from the trusted Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ®) family of products, this toolkit of resources will help you engage families in nurturing their child’s developmental and social-emotional skills. Families will get:
- Tips and guidelines on supporting the healthy development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers
- Pages of fun, easy, and low-cost learning activities that boost key developmental skills
- A quick-guide to some of the most commonly asked questions about ASQ screening
- Links to more tips and activities on the Brookes Publishing blog Share these resources with the families you work with, and help them get their children off to the best start in life!
25 Questions Early Childhood Professionals Should Ask Families
Brooke’s Publishing | May 4, 2021Today’s families are increasingly complex and diverse—and as a professional working with young children, you’ll need to gather a solid foundation of information as you partner with their families. This post includes a helpful list of 25 important questions to ask when you meet with a young child’s family. Excerpted and adapted from Understanding Families, Second Edition , by Marci J. Hanson, & Eleanor W. Lynch, these questions are a great starting point for learning about children and families and preparing yourself to meet their needs.
6. Supporting Fathers of Children with Special Needs
Learn about the specific needs of fathers of children with disabilities in a research brief from the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse and download a free poster from Head Start on Five Ways that Father’s Support Their Child’s Learning Everyday.
Brief: Supporting Fathers of Children with Special Needs
National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse | 2018“The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC) has developed this research brief to help fatherhood practitioners increase their awareness and understanding of the experiences of fathers of children with special needs. The brief explains several of the more common special needs, describes challenges that fathers of children with special needs may face, and provides tips to help fatherhood programs better support these fathers. Because most research on the experience of parents of children with special needs has focused on mothers, we draw from both published research and interviews with program staff who have experience in serving fathers with children with special needs.” A pdf of this brief is here (PDF) .
Downloadable Poster: Five Ways Father’s Support Their Child’s Learning Every Day
Share this simple handout with families. It highlights how fathers support children’s learning in ways that apply to all children, including those with disabilities.
7. Autism: From Awareness to Acceptance
According to the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network , funded by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), about 1 in 44 8-year-old children have been identified with ASD in the United States. The percentage of children identified with ASD varied widely among the 11 communities in this report, from 1.7% or 1 in 60 children in Missouri to 3.9% or 1 in 26 children in California. April 2022 was autism acceptance month, a shift from previous years’ autism awareness month.
MAP continues to promote autism acceptance with information and tools that value and support children with autism. Articles in this newsletter include a description of the unique intelligences of autism from Psychology Today, SCARED an acronym tool that can help during meltdowns, and evidence-based practices from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance center.
Autism Acceptance: Great Minds Don’t Think Alike
Psychology Today | April 26, 2022Autism Acceptance Month – a shift from the prior messaging of April as Autism Awareness Month reflects the importance of making space for all kinds of minds, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This article explains why we need neurodiverse thinkers in this world and the different types of specialist thinking related to ASD: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers and verbal thinkers. Each type has strengths and adaptable qualities that contribute to a better world!
SCARED Acronym: Autism Acceptance in Healthcare: How to help during a meltdown
It is not unusual for children with autism to become fearful and "meltdown" in the Emergency Department (ED) or in other places where they may be overstimulated and stressed. Here is one infographic that uses the acronym SCARED to help inform care providers to remember some ways to support children with autism in everyday and disaster emergencies from pediatric ED (Emergency Department) colleagues Don't Forget The Bubbles from the United Kingdom.
SCARED Acronym:
- Safe: Gently lead to a place of safety or lead other people away…
- Calm: Short calming sentences…
- Affirmations: Use kind and positive words…
- Routine: Facilitate stimming and access to routine activities to calm
- Empathy: Be patient and respect the need for space
- Develop a Plan: When it is over develop a plan for the next time
Evidence-based Practices on Autism
ECTAThis set of resources provides links to the latest evidence-based practices on autism. It includes training modules, standards and a review of therapies. For early care and education providers, the publication, “Simple Concepts to Embed in Everyday Routines (PDF) ,” is a great resource that supports all children.
For more information on Autism see the Disability Specific area on the MAP website .
8. Professional Development
Now is the time to plan for professional development including fall conferences and webinars scheduled for the end of the summer. Upcoming conferences focused on inclusion and supporting the needs of children with disabilities include California’s 9th Annual Inclusion Conference in San Jose (Hybrid), the Division for Early Childhood Conference (In person in Chicago) and the Zero to Three Learn Conference (Virtual).
California Conferences
9th Annual Inclusion Collaborative State Conference
In-person & Virtual | October 18-20, 202Held at the Santa Clara County Office of Education and virtually. Registration opens July 1, 2022.
Here's the official flyer (PDF)
National Conferences
Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the International Society for Early Intervention 2022 Conference
September 27-30, 2022 | Chicago, IllinoisZero to Three Learn Conference
Virtual | September 12-15, 2022The ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference is 4 days of virtual, experiential learning to create multidisciplinary connections and turn concepts into action.
Upcoming Webinars
Early Childhood Investigations Removing Barriers in Play to Include All Children, by Mike Huber, MAEd
August 11, 2022 2:00 pm EasternPlay is the heart and heartbeat of early childhood programs, and it’s our job to offer environments and opportunities for healthy play. If all children are going to play, we need to make sure that we address barriers that may otherwise prevent some children from playing. These barriers can be physical, informational, attitudinal, or cultural in nature. Focusing on independence in play can result in children who are outside the norm of a group of children in terms of ability or culture feeling left out. In this webinar , early childhood expert and author Mike Huber will help you ensure all children engage in play and find a sense of belonging.
Head Start Upcoming Events
Meaningful Makeover Series: Addressing Challenges in the Family Child Care Learning Environment
August 10, 2022 | 3:00 pm-4:00 pm ETFamily child care learning environments provide children and families a unique setting for learning and growing. Join this webinar to watch the Meaningful Makeover crew address some of the challenges in family child care settings by making small environmental changes that support children’s learning and development.
Creating Supportive Environments That Can Prevent Challenging Behavior
August 11, 2022 | 3:00 pm–4:00 pm ETStarting a new school year is a key time to be intentional and proactive in creating a supportive, inclusive environment that can prevent challenging behaviors in preschool-aged children. In this webinar, we're discussing ways in which the physical arrangement of the learning environment can help children’s understanding of behavior expectations. Learn how to set up schedules and transitions in ways that are developmentally appropriate and predictable. Discover strategies that support building positive relationships with children and families.
This webinar is offered with English and Spanish captioning.
IDEA 101: Partnering with Service Providers to Support Effective Inclusion
August 23, 2022 | 3:00 pm–4:00 pm ETThe goal for all children, including those with disabilities, is to be successful learners. In Head Start and Early Head Start programs, children with disabilities and their families have a team of people working with them, empowering families to be advocates, and coordinating programming and partnerships to provide each child with a pathway for learning success. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) service providers, such as school district or early intervention, are important partners in this process. Join us for this webinar to discuss strategies to build, support, and maintain collaborative relationships with IDEA partners.
This webinar is offered with English and Spanish captioning.
SCRIPT NC 2022 Webinar Series: Environments and Interactions that Foster Inclusion
Virtual | Free | Tue, August 23, 1:00 PM ESTWhat might it be like for students to consider evidence-based practices that support inclusion in every course? This webinar will focus on ways in which to build the capacity for early childhood educators to recognize, create, implement, and evaluate inclusive environments and interactions for young children that support the full participation of each and every child. Presenters will share examples of how to bring an inclusive lens to any course through readings, conversations, and applications.
Presenters: Camille Catlett, Tracey West, & Chih-Ing Lim (SCRIPT-NC team)
9. Training Opportunities for Family Child Care Providers
Are you a trainer, coach or community leader interested in learning how to facilitate trainings for Family Child Care Providers? Or are you an agency that would like to host trainings for Family Child Care Providers? Find out about Facilitator Training and Direct Service Workshops from Family Child Care At Its Best below.
Family Child Care At It’s Best (FCCB)
Family child care and family, friend, and neighbor providers are a critical source of support for working families. The Family Child Care at Its Best program delivers high-quality, research-based workshops that help home-based caregivers improve their knowledge, skills, and quality of care for working with mixed-age groups of children. FCCB is now offering two types of training:
- Facilitator Training
NEW! Trainers, coaches, and community leaders who provide support to family child care or family, friend, and neighbor providers can learn how to facilitate FCCB workshops and gain access to all necessary curriculum to offer FCCB workshops. - Direct Service Workshops
Workshops are offered at no cost to the host agency. Simply complete the request form to choose from the available topics, languages, and date(s) you are looking for. You conduct outreach and registration, and FCCB does the rest! We will provide you with a flyer template, all needed materials, and an instructor to lead your selected workshop. Availability is based on current funding.
10. Powerful Documentaries
If you want to learn more about people with disabilities who are living full meaningful lives check out This is Not About Me, recommended by Emily Ladau, author of Demystifying Disability, about the experiences of a non-speaking autistic student. Then take 20 minutes to watch My Disability Road Map by Dan and Sam Habib, who you may remember from Including Samuel.
This Is Not About Me
Length: 57 minsEmily Ladau, author of Demystifying Disability, recommends the documentary called This Is Not About Me , suggested to her by Lauren Schrero, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Nora Project . It spotlights Jordyn Zimmerman , who shares her experiences as a nonspeaking autistic student who didn't have access to effective communication tools until she was 18 years old.
“….this documentary incredibly powerful and worthwhile. It's clear proof that we need to move beyond the limiting idea that there are only certain "right" ways to express ourselves or communicate.”
My Disability Road Map (Video)
Did you see the movie, “Including Samuel”? The award-winning film documented the inclusion of Samuel Habib, a child with multiple disabilities, in preschool and into elementary school. Now he is all grown up! He’s 21, wants to date, leave home, go away to college. “But for Samuel and millions of other young adults with disabilities, the path beyond public school and into adulthood is difficult to navigate.
Samuel lives with a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a mutation in a gene known as GNAO1. He drives a 350-pound wheelchair, uses a communication device, and can have a seizure at any moment. In "My Disability Roadmap," co-directed by Samuel and his father Dan Habib, he seeks out guidance from America’s most rebellious disability activists. He wants to learn how they built full adult lives as a road map for himself and others. “No one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability,” he says. “But there are badass people with disabilities who figured it out. Maybe they could be my mentors.”
Learn more about the film and listen to the audio description pre-show
Direct questions or comments about this newsletter to map@wested.org