Who's Challenged? Children with Special Needs, or their Caregivers?

Johnny's parents call about enrolling him in your program. Johnny has severe physical limitations and is mentally challenged. Your initial reaction is 'No, I can not handle a child who needs extra attention. I am not trained to care for a person like that. I can not expose the rest of my children to someone so different.' But you say to the parents, 'Let me think about it and I will get back to you.'

Including a child with special needs can be a scary thought for many providers. Very few caregivers have formal training or experience in working with special needs children and their families. So for some, it may be easier to say "no" to the parents. However, is this the best decision for all involved? Who benefits from this decision? Who loses?

Inclusion of all children in regular childcare programs was put into place in 1992 as part of Title III, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Every type of childcare facility is covered by Title III with the exception of licensing exempt programs run by religious organizations. The purpose of the ADA is to establish equal rights for people with disabilities in employment, public services, and public accommodations-including preschools, childcare centers, and family childcare homes.

The world is full of variety, and research shows that the earlier children learn to respect people's differences the more tolerant they are as they grow up. How do you teach them this respect if they never come into contact with someone who is different from themselves? Children who never have the opportunity to see and interact with someone in a wheelchair or someone who can not feed himself very likely will grow up apprehensive of these people and unsure of how to act in their presence.

The goal of inclusion is to present opportunities so all children can reach their full potential through enhancing their learning abilities and offering a healthy and nurturing environment. All children will learn more effectively when they feel safe, secure, and comfortable in an environment where they are accepted for who they are, not for what they are able to do. All children will benefit from inclusion by demonstrating an increased acceptance and appreciation of diversity, developing better communication and social skills. Inclusion is a win-win situation for your childcare program.

Still not convinced? After all, you are the one who will be responsible for meeting the needs and making sure this child with special needs is taken care of. Maybe you do not have the knowledge or the training or you are unfamiliar with the medical terms you hear. How can you possibly take on such an overwhelming task? Consider this: when a child in your care breaks his leg, you do not think twice about adapting to this new situation. You learn what you is need to care for that child. What is so different about bringing in a child with a disability or handicap? There always are people who will have the answers to your questions-if not the parents, then the medical personnel who work with the child.

One of the the hardest parts of working with a child with special needs is feeling comfortable with the disability or handicap. Interestingly enough, children have the answer. Watch children relate to someone in a wheelchair. After a few questions about the chair and why it is needed, most children will focus their attention on the child. The disability becomes invisible and they relate as children who have much in common. By looking past the past the disability and seeing the child, the child becomes accepted as having the same needs as all the children in the childcare setting, a child needing acceptance, security, and nurturing.

Many terms may be used when discussing people with disabilities. The important thing to remember is that they are people first. Refer to a child with special needs as a "child with a disability" rather than a "disabled child." The emphasis should always be on the child first and the disability second. It is important to listen to how the parents describe the child and also to discuss with the child the terminology they prefer. Focus on the strengths the child has and you may find that you do not need any special terminology at all! Also, let the child talk about his disability with other children. This helps to build self esteem and foster compassion and a sense of belonging.

Inclusion of children with special needs is a facet of childcare that many caregivers are addressing as more parents are returning to work. Putting a child with disabilities into the least restrictive environment possible provides that child the chance to work and learn to the best of his or her ability while providing as much contact as possible with other children. It is a situation where all of the children profit. And you ? What will you gain from the experience? More than you can imagine.

By Marilyn Grechus, MSE, Phd.
Assistant Professor of Health Education, Central Missouri State University

Resources

National Information Center for Children & Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY), PO Box 1492, Washington, DC 20013; 800-695-0285; www.nichy.org.

Council for Exceptional Children, 1920 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1589; 888-CEC-SPED; www.cec.sped.org

Internet Resources

thearc.org/faqs/ccqa1.html

circleofinclusion.org

www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/childq%26a.htm