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May 1, 2007
 BETHLEHEM, PA – Via of the Lehigh Valley received a $5,000 grant from Just Born, Inc. in Bethlehem, PA for its Inclusive Childcare program. In partnership with the United Way, Via’s Inclusive Childcare program trains local daycare centers so they can provide care for all children including those with disabilities.
“Children deserve a bright and healthy start in life and all children should have the same opportunities to learn and grow in their community,” said Julie DePhillips of Emmaus, Via Director of Children’s Services.
“It is critical that children receive appropriate care and education. Via’s Inclusive Childcare program helps childcare centers provide the same choices and opportunities for all children. We train facilities so children with special needs have the opportunity to develop and learn alongside their peers.”
Working parents with young children consider who will take care of their children while they work. Parents of children with disabilities face even greater challenges when they choose to include their children with disabilities into community settings with other children. Via’s Inclusive Childcare program providing onsite staff support and technical assistance to area Lehigh Valley childcare facilities making it possible to provide inclusive opportunities for children with special needs.
The shared mission of Via’s Inclusive Childcare program and the United Way is to foster and promote the inclusion of children with developmental disabilities in childcare programs throughout the Lehigh Valley.
“It is apparent that children with disabilities significantly benefit from receiving care along side typically developing peers,” said Janeen Sproul of Bethlehem, Via Inclusion Specialist.
“Typically developing children serve as peer models from whom children with disabilities learn age-appropriate communication and social behaviors. The benefit to children without disabilities is that they learn to understand and accept differences. They also learn from being in a teaching role and they appear to be sensitive to the nonverbal communication efforts of peers in their classroom.”
Via received a three-year grant from United Way to fund this project in January 2005 enabling Via to hire five full-time inclusion specialists. Inclusion specialists, like Sproul, go into childcare facilities throughout the Lehigh Valley and work with staff to create inclusive environments. Childcare centers can become involved in Via’s program by calling and requesting inclusion training. Parents can also request to be directed to centers that provide inclusive services.
“Our program is not designed to be strictly one on one with a particular child,” said DePhillips. “It is structured so that the specialist helps with the overall environment of the whole center or particular classrooms. It is also designed with sustainability in mind – changes will continue once the specialist phases out of the center.”
Sproul is typically in a childcare center for nine to twelve months. She provides support and assistance to centers that welcome inclusive opportunities for children up to age five with special needs and work with centers to make necessary changes to curriculum so children benefit equally from childcare experience, regardless of the presence of the disability.
“Working with childcare center staff, we identify barriers to inclusion within the childcare setting, both environmental and curriculum based, and then collaborate to find ways to overcome barriers,” said Sproul.
Together, they develop a curriculum that is inclusive of children with a variety of disabilities; adapt classroom environments to accommodate wheelchairs and different forms of mobility for children; facilitate therapies in the classroom; consult with teachers in the center to help identify behaviors that may indicate learning delays in young children; assist parents in accessing and advocating for support for their children so they can continue their education in inclusive learning environments.
Sproul assists staff on ways to adapt activities to facilitate the active participation of children with special needs and how to facilitate friendships between disabled and non-disabled children.
“Once a comfort level has been established with childcare center staff, a “fading out” plan is established with the center and monitored,” said Sproul. “Centers can contact Via any time for additional support and training.”
“Response to this program has been very positive and we receive calls from centers wanting to participate,” said DePhillips.
“The need is beyond the current United Way program funding for this program and grants, like the one from Just Born, will enable us to continue working with childcare centers in the Lehigh Valley. This program is creating a positive difference in early education programs for children with and without disabilities and their families. It is also changing the early learning environment in each center served.”
The Lehigh Valley currently has 328 childcare and pre-school centers and home-based sites. Via’s goal is to add five to ten new centers to this program each year so all children have the opportunity to be ready for school and their teachers, parents and care-givers have the skills to help them. Childcare centers served by Via’s Inclusive Childcare project are:
| • Allentown YM/YWCA Child Care |
• Rotherham Child Care Center, Allentown |
| • Andrea Dority Family Child Care, Bethlehem |
• Sayre Child Center, Bethlehem |
| • Day Care in the Park, Bethlehem |
• Small Beginnings Early Learning Center, Emmaus |
| • Georgine Jimenez Family Child Care, Bethlehem |
• Spring Garden Child Care Center, Easton |
| • Holy Infancy Child Care, Bethlehem |
• St. Peter's Head Start program, Bethlehem |
| • Lehigh Valley Child Care Campus Center, Bethlehem |
• Traci's Learning Center, Allentown |
| • Northampton Community College, Bethlehem |
• Volunteers of America Child Care Center, Allentown |
Via of the Lehigh Valley is a non-profit human service agency that provides services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Via helps more than 1,000 individuals and families from birth through retirement focusing in four areas: Children’s Services, Community & Volunteer Services, Employment Services and Residential Services.
Via works with children up to age three in their homes and daycares to address disabilities and delays. Via trains daycares so children with disabilities can go to school and learn with their peers. Via finds jobs in the community for consumers and provides coaching and training. And Via helps consumers volunteer in the community, participate in leisure activities, and find or purchase affordable, accessible housing.
Lisa Walkiewicz
Communications Director
484-893-5390
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