At the Crossroads: Overcoming Concerns To Envision Possibilities for Toddlers in Inclusive Child Care

Abstract

This paper describes the experiences of three toddlers with developmental delays and their caregivers in an inclusive child care center. Case study methodology was used to synthesize data representing initial issues presented by parents, caregivers' reflections on their relationships with the toddlers, and interactions between toddlers with special needs, their caregivers, and their typical peers within the child care setting. Analyses of parent interviews, caregiver journals, and child observations yielded two overarching themes—concern and possibility. Both parents and caregivers expressed specific concerns about children's behavioral differences, and how they create challenges to inclusion, but they also envisioned the possibility of increased social opportunities in inclusive child care for children with disabilities. Caregivers found that working in an inclusive setting created the possibility for early childhood professionals to learn about and better understand developmental differences. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.