Few Parents Know About Child Care Resources for Disabilities

Families experiencing disabilities face barriers to child care in the United States, where more than 2 million children aged 5 and under have disabilities. An additional 3 million parents of young children live with disabilities.

While resources to help families affected by disability exist, many people do not know about them. A recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlights the need for government agencies to better direct families toward resources that can help them find child care options.

Barriers to Families of Young Children With Disabilities

For many families with young children, access to nearby, affordable, and suitable child care is essential. The GAO report found that parents of children with disabilities experience many barriers to finding child care that meets their needs. Day care programs also face barriers to providing care for special needs children. Providers reported staff shortages and funding challenges, which can frustrate attempts to serve this community.

According to the GAO report, parents describe having trouble accessing child care that is close to home, offers enough hours of care, presents an inclusive environment, and provides appropriate services and interventions.

In day care settings, parents report experiencing exclusion and rude comments from others related to their child’s disability. They also indicated problems communicating with child care providers, making it challenging to ensure the care adequately meets their child’s unique needs.

Many day care programs have eligibility requirements that have the practical effect of barring access for children with disabilities. For instance, programs that require children to be potty-trained exclude those with certain disabilities, such as autism and visual impairments, that can delay this milestone.

Differences with behavior and communication can also result in exclusion for children with special needs. Child care providers may perceive the behaviors of some children with disabilities as disruptive. This can lead to suspensions and expulsions, preventing families from accessing care.

Facilities and programming that are not accessible also exclude children with disabilities. For example, a child who uses a wheelchair may be unable to enter a building with steps or use a playground that lacks adaptive play equipment. Planned activities that do not consider all children’s needs and abilities can result in further exclusion.

In addition, parents report a lack of on-site intervention services for children with disabilities. For busy families, off-site services can be more difficult to access.

When families experience delays in receiving services and interventions, this can also limit day care options. While the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services (HHS) promote universal developmental screenings for children under 5 years old, in reality, most children in day care do not receive these screenings. Only a quarter of children in care programs receive formal testing for developmental or learning problems.

The limited availability of government-funded screenings and the high costs of private screenings can prevent children from receiving an early diagnosis. These limitations can be especially burdensome for low-income families. Without a diagnosis, it can be difficult for families to identify programs that provide the services and support their children need.

The Effect of Limited Child Care Options on Families

For many parents, programs serving children with special needs may not have a convenient, nearby location or may have limited hours. To accommodate their child’s needs, parents might feel they have to reduce their work hours, become stay-at-home parents, or move to a location with better child care options. These decisions can negatively shape family finances. Parents of children with disabilities may also need to rely on extended family, such as grandparents, to provide child care.

Resources

Assistance for families is available. Yet, according to GAO’s report, many parents are unaware that the HHS and the Department of Education have free resources to address the difficulties parents and providers experience.

For instance, every state has at least one Parent Training and Information Center. These centers provide tools to help parents find high-quality child care that suits their children’s needs. They offer free information for families of children with disabilities between birth and age 26.

Locating centers can be challenging because of the lack of coordination among programs and agencies. You can search for a parent center at parentcenterhub.org.

Work With a Special Needs Planning Attorney

Parents of children with disabilities may also benefit from working with a special needs planning attorney. Attorneys specializing in this area can help families navigate the process of securing appropriate services and create a plan for their child’s future.