Inclusive Child Care

Advocating for Your Child’s Needs

As you learn about your child’s specific needs and interact with medical and educational professionals, remember that you are the expert on your child. Although you may feel overwhelmed by the challenges you face and may have many questions, no one knows your child better than you do. Advocating for your child shouldn’t be difficult. Collaborating with your child’s caregivers, communicating with therapists and medical professionals and understanding your child’s own individual needs will help you find the right care setting for your child.

Gain Knowledge

Learn all you can about your child’s rights, specific needs and supports.
Ask Questions

Ask caregivers questions about the supports, strategies and procedures at the program.
Share Information

Share essential information with your child’s caregivers.

Consider Learning About
- Special education law.
- Special education in Indiana (ages 3-21).
- Early intervention services through First Steps (ages 0-3).
- How to advocate for your child at school.
Consider Sharing
- Your goals and hopes for your child.
- Your child’s interests and dislikes.
- Your child’s strengths and abilities.
- Your child’s areas of growth and needs.
- How you support your child at home.
- Other supports that may be helpful.

Consider Asking

How do you plan to communicate with me and other members of my child’s team?
What are your program’s discipline and behavior management policies?
How do you provide individual support?
How do you support emotional development?
How are the team members trained to work with children with developmental delays, disabilities and/or specific medical conditions?
What are your caregiver-to-child ratios and group sizes?
Are there opportunities for individual 1:1 support?