The Alberta government has invited parents to share their thoughts on what defines high-quality childcare and the services they expect from childcare operators through an online survey. This survey is open until February 11 and will help inform future changes to the child-care system. The survey is open to all parents, whether or not they currently access childcare.  

Some parents are benefiting from subsidies and are satisfied with the childcare their child with an intellectual disability is accessing. Whether you have had positive experiences with accessing childcare or faced barriers that prevented you from accessing any childcare, this is an opportunity to make government aware of what supports families of children with intellectual disabilities need from the early learning and childcare system. 

The province supports childcare operators to include children with disabilities through the Inclusive Childcare program and the Family Supports for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program. This month CBC Edmonton reported on the radio and on their website about the barriers parents face accessing child care for children with disabilities. Inclusion Alberta heard from over 30 families in the past year about challenges such as:  

1. refusal of childcare operators to admit children with disabilities. 
2. waiting months without access to child care until FSCD approved funding. 
3. partial exclusion when an operator admits a child for only a partial day. 
4. quality issues when operators fail to meet a child’s disability-related needs. 
5. expulsion of a child when staff struggled to meet disability-related support needs. 

Inclusive early learning and childcare benefits all children, including those with disabilities, in multiple ways.  However, unlike the public education system, children with disabilities are not entitled to services. When children are excluded, they not only miss out on the developmental benefits, but their parents may have to leave the workforce, potentially pushing the family into financial insecurity and long-term poverty.   

The survey can be found here and is open until February 11. 

Below we offer suggestions on how your survey responses can express that a top priority for you is that early learning and childcare be made accessible and inclusive of children with intellectual disabilities.  

For families currently accessing childcare: 

Question 7 – If your childcare operator does not include children with intellectual disabilities, indicate that you Disagree or Strongly Disagree with the statement that it “Is inclusive of all children”. If the operator struggles to meet the needs of your child with a disability, indicate Disagree or Strongly Disagree with the statement that it “meets my child’s needs”.  

Question 10 – Indicate 1 (Most Important) for “Programs” as this includes “supporting the needs, interest, inclusivity and diversity of all children” 

Question 11 – Check “Ability to meet the child’s special physical, mental and/or behavioural needs”  

Question 12 – Check “Child-staff ratios/Group sizes”, “Staff qualifications”, and  “Promotion of understanding of differences (gender, ability, ethnicity, etc.)” 

Question 13 – An important aspect of childcare quality is that the inclusion of children with disabilities is supported by leadership, policy, philosophy, training, quality teaching, and equipment and physical modifications.  

For families currently not accessing childcare: 

Question 7 – Indicate 1 (Most Important) for “Programs” as this includes “supporting the needs, interest, inclusivity and diversity of all children” 

Question 8 – Check “Ability to meet the child’s special physical, mental and/or behavioural needs” 

Question 9 – Check “Child-staff ratios/Group sizes”, “Staff qualifications”, and “Promotion of understanding of differences (gender, ability, ethnicity, etc.)” 

Question 10 – An important aspect of childcare quality is that the inclusion of children with disabilities is supported by leadership, policy, philosophy, training, quality teaching, and equipment and physical modifications. 

The survey can be found here and is open until February 11.