Developmental Screening

Children with diverse abilities have unique and important care requirements. It is important for families and providers to communicate about the unique needs of a child to ensure the best care possible.

IdahoSTARS supports the rights of young children and their families to participate in a broad range of activities and settings. We hope that children with and without disabilities and their families have a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential.

Parents have the most important role in supporting their child’s growth and learning. For this reason, parents are often the first to recognize when there might be a concern. A developmental screener can be used to determine if your child’s development is on track, and if there is a concern which requires further assessment or evaluation.

Monitoring Your Child's Development (PDF) helps Idaho families make the most of their child's early years. This brochure offers information on developmental screenings, a checklist for monitoring developmental milestones at specific ages, and developmental screening resources.

Finding Inclusive Child Care

Although there are some child care programs that specialize in caring for children with disabilities or other diverse needs, most are not specialized. When looking for child care, consider the following tips:

  • Ask to see a current license. Find out if the staff has been screened for child abuse/neglect.
  • Ask if the program has a philosophy or mission statement related to including children with diverse needs and abilities.
  • Ask about the teacher’s or family child care provider’s education and experience. Does it include disability specific training, or training on meeting the individual needs of children?
  • Ask about eligibility criteria. Does eligibility criteria allow for enrollment of children with disabilities or developmental delays?
  • Ask if the program is willing to collaborate with your family and any specialists your family may be working with related to your child’s growth and learning.
  • Observe the child care provider’s interactions with the children in the program. Does she or he seem warm, friendly, patient, and involved?
  • Look at the children in the program. Are all the children participating in classroom activities? Do they seem happy?
  • Ask about the number of caregivers in the program. Are there enough adults to adequately care for the children enrolled?

Talking to Care Providers

  • Speak clearly about your child’s strengths and unique qualities.
  • Tell the child care staff about your child’s routine, likes, dislikes, and what makes him or her happy or sad.
  • Be honest about what your child needs, including any special assistance or equipment.
  • Be willing to help your child care program solve problems that might arise.
  • Remember that you know your child better than anyone else. Stand up for your child's rights and trust your knowledge and ability to share what you have learned about your child.

Handling Potential Discrimination

With any child care facility, a good “fit” is important. You want to find someone you can trust and with whom you can develop a good working relationship. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) considers child care facilities to be public accommodations and requires them to address the needs of people with disabilities, just like theaters and restaurants. This requirement means that children with disabilities cannot be excluded from a program solely because of a disability.

Under the ADA, child care programs are required to make reasonable accommodations to address the needs of individuals with disabilities. Imagination, a positive attitude, and a child-centered approach can usually produce creative and achievable accommodations.

Interacting with Other Children

Young children are very accepting. When they see adults who are warm and accepting, they will display warmth and acceptance. Rejection of children with diverse needs and abilities is unusual. In fact, one of the benefits of inclusive child care is increased sensitivity toward individual differences.