Disabilities and inclusive practices within Toronto preschools

Abstract

A current objective in Canada is a provision of childcare services for all children. This objective has not been achieved as many children, especially those with disabilities, are often denied services from publicly funded daycare centres. The authors argue that policy discussions framed from an inclusive perspective provide a better understanding of how the Ontario child care system should function to ensure daycare services for children of disabilities. They interviewed the directors of 354 licensed preschools in Toronto about the inclusion of children with disabilities into their centres. Analysis revealed that only 2.4% of the students in these centres were identified as having a disability; the two most frequently identified disabilities were Autism Spectrum Disorders and speech and language disorders. The majority of directors stated that they would turn away a child because of a disability. The centres that were most inclusive had service providers come into the centre, but very few (17%) of these centres had resource teachers as support. The analysis further indicates a large number of centres that currently are not identified as capable of providing special need services and are not directly operated by the Ministry of Education. With staff development and funding, these centres have the potential to provide services to children of disabilities.