The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Education (ED) recently released an updated Joint Policy Statement on the Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs. Almost one in every six children has a developmental delay, yet not every child with a disability or delay has access to fully inclusive early childhood programs. The 2023 statement follows President Biden’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers, signed in April 2023.
“We are thankful to the departments for updating their joint statement and providing guidance and recommendations to the field of early childhood,” shares Robin Troutman, Interim Executive Director of the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities. “Oftentimes children with disabilities are excluded from early childhood programs due to physical access of buildings, behaviors that programs deem too disruptive, and interactions with providers who may not have adequate education or ongoing training to enable them to fully support infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children with disabilities and/or delays. This updated policy statement furthers the rights of young children with disabilities and their families to be fully included in their communities.”
Listening sessions were conducted by HHS and ED to gain understanding on the needs for children with disabilities and their families from federal and state staff, local schools, early care and learning providers and administrators, families, higher education faculty, and researchers. The joint policy statement provides expectations and guidance for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act programs (including Part C Early Intervention and Part B/619 Preschool Special Education), Early Head Start and Head Start, early care and learning programs, home visiting, preschool and public schools.
See the following for HHS’s announcement and ED’s summary:
- Find HHS’s release on the updated statement at this link: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/11/28/biden-harris-administration-announces-updated-resource-support-inclusion-children-disabilities-early-childhood-programs.html
- Find ED’s summary on the updated statement at this link https://sites.ed.gov/idea/idea-files/policy-statement-inclusion-of-children-with-disabilities-in-early-childhood-programs/
