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Accomplishments

2006-2007

  • Developed a PowerPoint™ presentation on child care for school-age children and youth with special needs;
  • Expanded and updated the Map Project website to include further references and links regarding inclusion; and
  • Continued to facilitate dissemination and communication across counties about various county activities regarding inclusion.

2005-2006

  • Developed user-friendly products for early care and education personnel regarding inclusive practice issues.
  • Hosted, updated and expanded a website that provides resources on inclusive practice, challenging behavior, disabilities, organizations for families, and legal issues.
  • Worked with small groups of leaders in the early childhood field to discuss collaborative efforts.
  • Supported other state groups they addressed inclusive child care issues.
  • Provided leadership and support in activities and meetings statewide.
  • Developed PowerPoint presentations concerning the Early Start program.
  • Provided articles and editorial input for the California Head Start newsletter, Bridges.
  • Participated in a task force on developing inclusion principles for “Preschool for All”/Universal Preschool efforts.

2004-2005

  • Provided information on inclusive practice via the website, presentations and outreach.
  • Worked with small groups of leaders to discuss collaborative efforts.
  • Developed product in user-friendly formats for use by early care and education personnel regarding inclusive practice issues.
  • Supported other state groups as they addressed inclusive child care issues.
  • Began work on a PowerPoint presentation on Early Start services in California for use by community college instructors and other early care and education trainers.
  • Provided leadership in a task force on developing inclusion principles in “Preschool for All”/Universal Preschool efforts and activities statewide.
  • Began work with Head Start to revise the Bridges newsletter, which focuses on early intervention and early childhood special education.

2003-2004

  • Conducted the annual meeting of the Map to Inclusive Child Care Project Advisory Committee.
  • Established a School-Age Task Force to provide input into a report on the child care needs of school-age children and youth with disabilities and other special needs.
  • Convened three regional meetings of a School-Age Task Force for input on the drafts of the report on child care needs of school-age children.
  • Facilitated dissemination and communication across counties about various county activities regarding inclusion, such as those from the Transfer of Knowledge (TOK) Symposium, First Five (Proposition 10) inclusion projects, and SB1703 activities.
  • Evaluated the impact of the Map Project activities in California and conducted project-related evaluation activities.
  • Designed future project activities based on the Map Project strategic plan
  • Provided leadership and support to California Department of Education, Child Development Division (CDD), regarding inclusion of children and youth with disabilities and other special needs.
  • Invited, as needed, representatives to the Advisory Committee.
  • Prepared a report on the child care needs of school-age children and youth with disabilities and other special needs.
  • Began development of Internet presence for the Map project to disseminate key information about statewide projects that support inclusive practices.

2002-2003

  • Facilitated an annual meeting of the Map to Inclusive Child Care Project Advisory Committee.
  • Developed a concept paper on the child care needs of school-age children and youths with disabilities and other special needs.
  • Provided technical assistance to various organizations to develop, support, maintain and promote local infrastructures for inclusive child care.

2000-2001

  • Facilitated quarterly meetings of the Map to Inclusive Child Care Project Advisory Committee
  • Developed a report on Models of Inclusive Practices in Child Care Programs
  • Continued to disseminate the written report and executive summary on the Barriers to Inclusive Child Care
  • Provided technical assistance to communities to develop, support, maintain and promote local infrastructures for inclusive child care, based on established recommendations from CCHP/CDD reports
  • Worked with key policymakers to remove barriers to inclusive child care, based on the report submitted in fiscal year 2000-2001.
  • Collaborated with the WestEd Center for Prevention and Early Intervention on the Prop 10 funded research study by providing existing raw data, survey information and participating on the advisory committee to the project.
  • Prepared bi-monthly articles on inclusion-related topics for Health Connections Newsletter, with distribution to child care and special education/needs organization and agencies implementing inclusive projects.
  • Provided training on inclusion issues for Child Care Health Consultants and Family Health Coordinators in the state.
  • Responded to complex questions on the Healthline that relate to policy and regulatory issues.

1999-2000

  • Developed a report that outlined the barriers preventing children with disabilities and other special needs from accessing child care programs. This was completed with CDE/CDD staff, Map Project team members and other key stakeholders throughout California. A written report with an executive summary and recommendations for future action was developed.
  • Project staff and team members provided guidance, technical assistance and training through state-level presentations at conferences, workshops and meetings with key stakeholder groups. Written materials and newsletter articles were disseminated.
  • Staff met with local child care planning councils and resource and referral agencies to provide information and training and to solicit input for the report. The Health Connections newsletter, distributed bimonthly, contained articles on inclusion to be used by other agency newsletters for distribution among their constituencies. Staff prepared and implemented a number of workshops across the state and regionally on inclusion and the issues related to children with special needs and their families. Connections were established with existing early child development public relations campaigns to show children with disabilities in child care settings. In addition, telephone consultation, written guidance, information materials and onsite technical assistance were provided to local communities.
  • Staff continued to provide support to the Map Project team through regular communication with team members and quarterly meetings. Staff maintained mailing lists and solicited new membership as needed.