July-October 2006 Vol. 2, No. 4 & 5. Center for. Inclusive Child Care

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1 CICC July-October 2006 Vol. 2, No. 4 & 5 Inclusive Child Care The Inclusive Child Care is a comprehensive resource network for promoting and supporting inclusive early childhood and school age programs and providers. This network provides leadership, administrative support, training, and consultation to early care and education providers, school age care providers, parents, and the professionals who support providers and parents of children with special needs. Concordia University College of Education 275 North Syndicate Street St. Paul, MN (651) Fax (651) Inclusive Child Care Memo from Cindy Croft CICC Director croft@csp.edu The Inclusive Child Care (CICC) is your resource Learning Center Check out the Inclusive Child Care s (CICC) Learning Center. This Learning Center offers online education through: Enhanced Self-Study Courses offered FREE of charge or for CEUs CDA Competency Standards available online in interactive modules available with optional expanded audio modules current course topics include: ADHD, Autism, Inclusion in School Age Programs, Sensory Your Resource Center center! It is not a building but rather a technical assistance site that is comprised of people, curriculum, training, consultation, webbased assistance, and so much more. Our program is staffed by myself as Director, Chris Bentley as Technical Assistance Director, Processing Disorder, Social and Emotional Development, and more! Info Modules FREE informational sessions easily viewed online in a PowerPoint format current topics include: How Early Intervention Works, More Alike than Different, Strategies for Successful Inclusion, What is Autism, Children and Asthma, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and more! Visit the CICC website at: and visit the Learning Center! Dea Anderson as Inclusion Consultation Coordinator, John Simmer as Technology and Web Development Coordinator, Huda Farah as Somali Project Coordinator, and Kathy Benham as Newsletter Coordinator. In addition, across Minnesota, we have over 140 Project EXCEP- TIONAL (PE) trainers, 50 PE Inclusion Consultants, and others who work on the information technology of the website:. Continued on page 2. THE CICC OFFERS FREE CONSULTATION SERVICES to child care providers and all early childhood and school age professionals in Minnesota. The goal of the CICC s Consultation Services is to provide support to child care and school age care providers, enabling them to successfully include and retain children with special needs and those with challenging behaviors. If you would like to speak to a CICC Consultant, contact Dea Anderson at: dea@fraser.org or call (612) C IC C A Newsletter for Early Childhood and School Age Professionals

2 Page 2 CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE CHILD CARE July-October 2006 Your Resource Center Continued from page 1. If you are a trainer, consultant or child care provider, you can find information and technical assistance at the CICC 24 hours a day! This newsletter issue will go into more detail about some of the services you can access as you work to help children be successfully included in community settings. We have a new Info Module and three new Enhanced Self-Study Courses available in the Learning Center on the CICC website. They are: New Info Module: Why Don t They Like Me? A Look at Bullying New Self-Study Courses: Successful Inclusion in School Age Programs Observation and Assessment: Strategies for Inclusion Children s Behavior: The Importance of the Practitioner s Role The CICC Learning Center will also be adding an additional Self- Study Course in October, titled, Prevention: It Is All About Environment. These courses and Info Modules (over 20 selections currently available) are meant to enhance your knowledge of disability issues and can be used as part of training, professional development or sharing with parents. We are interested in your feedback as to other topics that might be of interest to you or your constituencies. Continued on page 6. Forgot Your Password? Not a Problem. By John Simmer, CICC Web Developer Three key areas at now feature password recovery. Two of these areas are used by Inclusion Trainers and Consultants and one area is used by all who take the CICC s Enhanced Self-Study Courses. If you forget your password, simply click the forgot password link, enter your address, the system verifies your and promptly s you back your password. We continually strive to make resources more easily available and our website easier to use. Click the ask CICC button at the bottom of any page and send us your suggestions and comments. WANTED! Your Input The CICC website is continuing to grow and change. Please visit: < and give us your comments and suggestions on how we can make our website as user friendly and informative as possible.

3 July-October 2006 CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE CHILD CARE Page 3 CICC Consultation Services By Dea Anderson, CICC Consultation Coordinator Acall was received from a teacher in a child care center regarding a four year old child. The teacher described this child as being bright, inquisitive and observed to be developing as expected in the areas of cognition, language, and motor skills. The concerns regarding the child were in the area of behavior and socialemotional development. These concerns included frequent daily meltdowns (the inability to control emotions and function in the environment), difficulty with transitions, and seeming to need more than the usual amount of adult attention. The consultation services available through CICC were discussed with the teacher. The teacher reported that these concerns had been discussed with the child s parents as well as the possibility of seeking some outside services to help identify strategies to enable this child to be successful in the child care environment. Information regarding CICC s consultation services and a consent form were sent to this teacher to share with the child s parents. Upon receiving the signed consent form, a consultant was contacted and provided with information received upon intake and a copy of the signed consent form. The consultant contacted the child s parents to make an introduction and gather information including the child s strengths, areas of need, behavior guidance strategies used at home, and other information that might be helpful in helping the child to be successful. This same information was gathered from the staff in the child care center. Knowing that a child s behavior is a form of communication, the consultant was able to do several on-site observation visits and assist staff in identifying this child s needs and developing strategies to help this child be successful. When the consultation ended, staff was given an opportunity to evaluate the consultation services. Comments included: One valuable suggestion provided by the consultant was that if we want children to be more flexible, we need to be flexible ourselves. I felt so supported by the consultant. She really helped me feel effective. The consultant was quick to respond, an empathetic listener and offered workable suggestions. If you are interested in learning more about CICC Consultation services, contact Dea Anderson, dea@fraser.org or Chris Bentley, chris@fraser.org. Department of Education Unveils New IDEA Website On August 30, 2006, the Department of Education unveiled a new website dedicated solely to providing resources for IDEA Parts B and C. The new website address is: In addition to reference materials such as the final IDEA Part B regulations and the IDEA 2004 law, the website contains topic briefs on key areas to provide additional information and clarification. Organized by topic area, the website automatically provides users with numerous resources on the specific topic. For example, when searching on the topic area of highly qualified teachers, the topic brief, corresponding regulations, and statute areas are automatically provided.

4 Page 4 CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE CHILD CARE July-October 2006 Inclusive CICCCenter Child Care CICC Contacts: Cindy Croft, CICC Director Concordia University 275 North Syndicate Street St. Paul, MN Phone: (651) Fax: (651) croft@csp.edu John Simmer, Web Developer Concordia University 275 North Syndicate Street St. Paul, MN URL: webmaster@inclusivechildcare.org Chris Bentley CICC Technical Assistance Director 2400 West 64th Street Richfield, MN Phone: (612) Fax: (612) chris@fraser.org Dea Anderson CICC Consultation Coordinator Fraser, 1601 Laurel Avenue Minneapolis, MN Phone: (612) dea@fraser.org Huda Farah Somali Training Project Coordinator Inclusive Child Care 275 N. Syndicate St. St. Paul, MN hudafaarah@yahoo.com Kathy Benham CICC Newsletter Coordinator rkbenham@aol.com Book Review Review by Cindy Owen, Arc Midstate Being the Other One, Growing Up with a Brother or Sister Who Has Special Needs, by Kate Strohm, 2005, Shambhala Publications Inc. The sibling relationship is the longest-lasting relationship in many families. Brothers and sisters are likely to experience concerns throughout their lives. The author Kate Strohm, who is a younger sibling of a sister who has special needs, uses some of her own life experiences and extensive interviews she has conducted to explore some of the secret feelings of siblings. Kate shares how isolation is a common experience among siblings and that many lack the opportunity to talk about their feelings. Children may sense how their lives are different from those of their peers. Society often sends them the message that others in the same situation have a largely positive experiences and those who don t are selfish making it extremely difficult for a sibling to seek support. Ms. Strohm outlines some key strategies for dealing with difficult issues such as feelings of isolation, lack of understanding of their sibling s special needs, and difficulty in communicating their feelings. Strategies include providing factual information about a brother or sister s special needs, gaining skills to communicate their feelings with family members and others, learning how to deal with the reactions of others, and seeking support such as that found at a Sibling Support group. In the chapter on the role of service providers, Kate describes the whole-family approach which provides support to parents and siblings; recognizing that siblings often have much to contribute and much to gain by being involved. This book contains practical advice, honest reflections, and a wealth of resources for exploring this topic further. Question: Where can Minnesota child care providers go to find a FREE service that will answer questions about inclusion and topics, such as behavioral issues? Answer: The CICC website: Click on Inclusion Q &A and submit your questions! A trained inclusion consultant will you a reply. If you would like to receive a phone called response, just ask for a call and give your phone number.

5 July-October 2006 CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE CHILD CARE Page 5 WEBSITE HIGHLIGHTS Asthma Information and More The California Child Care Health Program website is a great resource. This site has an Asthma Information Handbook and posters, available in PDF format for easy printing, and a very good 18 minute video clip. The video is titled: Asthma Care Training for Child Care Providers. This video is presented in English and Spanish. This website has other pieces of curriculum that look interesting, such as: Child Care Lead Poisoning Prevention Curriculum, Promoting Oral Health, and others. You can go directly to the information page, listing the resources I ve described, by using the web address of: Or you can go to: 1) 2) then click on the Publications & Resources tab 3) then select Training Curricula from the left side bar on that page. All the above information and curriculums are available FREE if you print them off the website on your home/office computer. So, please take a look. Exercising Your Brain From the website the following are stretch-ercises that help you learn to think differently, exercising your brain. According to the website, these stretch-ercises are easy-to-do activities that take you off autopilot and push you to do life differently. Think of this as cross-training your brain in order to become intentional about your creativity. The website states: Do stretch-ercises daily and you ll feel a new energy in your life. Here are just a few. (There is much more to be found on the website.) Generating Next Right Answers: Brainstorm 25 alternative uses for a toothpick, TP roll, newspaper, rubber band, etc. Awareness: Identify all the geometric shapes you can see from wherever you are now. Curiosity: Come up with uncommon answers for why traffic is slow, why school is closed, why it is foggy today, etc... How Come? Stimulating the Right Brain: Introduce color into your routines. Use colored pens or pencils as well as colored paper and clips if possible. Video Link There are many great videos available for immediate viewing on the internet. If you are looking for some information on a specific disability or inclusion topic, first check out the CICC s Info Modules or Self-Study Courses in the CICC s website s Learning Center. Another resource may be finding an internet video. Here is one you may want to check out. It is a cartoon animated video, highlighting the importance of Assistive Technology. Go to: The CICC is looking at the possibility of adding video links to its website or hosting videos for easy access. We will let you know if this becomes available. Please visit the Inclusive Child Care s website at: Please share this newsletter with friends, families, and co-workers. Don t miss an issue, subscribe electronically at Remember, the CICC offers free Consultation Services to child care providers and all other early childhood and school age professionals in Minnesota.

6 Page 6 CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE CHILD CARE July-October 2006 Your Resource Center Continued from page 2. You can receive technical assistance support at the drop of a keyboard click at our Inclusion Q & A page on the website. Trainers and consultants can get resource information quickly in this manner and child care professionals can get answers to their questions without leaving home! This is a feature we hope is of great value to you. In addition, you can phone/ any CICC staff (go to the CICC website and select CICC Information, Contact Us) to get answers to questions as well. Our goal is to be a complete resource center around inclusion of children with special needs in community child care settings by supporting professional development and technical assistance. Please, let us know how we are doing! Article Preparation & Newsletter Editing: Kathy Benham, St. Cloud, MN, (320) , rkbenham@aol.com Newsletter Design Production: Lynette Brannan, LB Productions, Becker, MN, (763) , brannan@sherbtel.net Inclusive Child Care Website: CICC Contact: croft@csp.edu Support for this newsletter comes from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Promoting and supporting inclusive early childhood and school age programs and providers in Minnesota. CICCCenter Inclusive Child Care Non-Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Permit No St. Paul, MN Concordia University, College of Education Cindy Croft, CICC Director 275 Syndicate Street North, St. Paul, MN Address Service Requested