The goal of the Map to Inclusive Child Care project is to provide technical assistance to states as they include children with disabilities (from birth through 12) in child care settings. This is a three-year project funded by the Child Care Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Each year, states are chosen using selection criteria that ensures a diverse state team membership. Each state team consists of members from the following categories:

• Parent of a child with a disability.

• State administrators from child care agencies.

• Early childhood/child care/school age providers.

• Policy makers/legislators.

• Representatives from Head Start/Early Head Start.

• Agencies or organizations which provide services to children with disabilities.

• Educational institutions involved in preservice/inservice cooperative extension systems.

• Other related sectors.

The states and their teams are provided with technical assistance to support the development of a successful inclusive child care system within their state. The underlying premise of this project is to develop quality child care that will benefit all children.

Each of the states hold a State Strategic Planning Meeting to identify barriers to inclusive child care and resources available for promotion of inclusive child care. During this two-day planning meeting each state also devises its own vision and mission statements.

Each year a National Institute is convened in Washington, D.C. All team members from the current year attend. The Institute provides an opportunity for state teams and key stakeholders to benefit from each other's experiences in promoting the inclusion of children with disabilities.

First year participants in the Map to Inclusive Child Care project included: California, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont.

Second year participants included: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Puerto Rico, Washington, and Washington, D.C.

Third year participants included: Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota , Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Map to Inclusive Child Care project, please contact Mary Beth Bruder, Ph.D. at

For child care resources information, visit The National Child Care Information Center Web site.

Return to
Completed Projects Page