First 5 Contra Costa is leading a project focused on creating more inclusive early care and education environments for children with disabilities.
The project is supported by local county Measure X funding and state Proposition 10 funding that First 5 Contra Costa pledged to add to the project.
First 5 Contra Costa is leading a community planning process to identify ways to improve early childhood programs’ ability to effectively include children with disabilities (diagnosed or undiagnosed), developmental concerns, and social-emotional delays, and their families. The process will include interviews and focus groups with parents of children, early learning educators, and community organizations who work with children with disabilities, delays or concerns. Information will also be drawn from the 2020 Inclusion Blueprint developed by the Contra Costa County Office of Education in collaboration with other early childhood agencies. The community input will result in a plan with recommendations on how to build the capacity of early childhood education programs by increasing their knowledge, skills, and resources to better include children with disabilities, delays or concerns.
In addition to the community planning process, in spring 2024 First 5 Contra Costa offered trainings to early care and education providers on inclusion strategies. These trainings aim to promote children’s learning, development, and sense of belonging in inclusive, accessible early care and education environments.
Measure X is a countywide 20-year, ½ cent sales tax approved by Contra Costa County voters on November 3, 2020. The ballot measure language included an intent to invest in early childhood services, and First 5 Contra Costa is excited that the Board of Supervisors allocated these local funds to address this early childhood need in the county. The Board of Supervisors allocated $405,000 per year of Measure X funds to the effort, and First 5 Contra Costa is adding $200,000 per year in Proposition 10 funding.
Through this effort, we will create more inclusive early care and education spaces that provide children, families and providers with the support they need to be healthy and ready to learn.
Project Updates:
Increasing inclusion in early learning care and education environments
More than100 community members including early care and education providers, early intervention providers, parents, and advocates attended two community convenings we held in August to gather input on how to make early learning care and education programs more inclusive of children with disabilities or socio-emotional needs. The convenings were part of a community planning process led by First 5 Contra Costa that also included a series of focus groups and stakeholder interviews.
Attendees had an opportunity to hear a preliminary summary of findings and provide additional insights. In collaboration with consulting firm Cardea, we will be releasing a report in October that summarizes the community planning process and resulting recommendations for enhancing inclusion in early learning programs in our county. For years, First 5 Contra Costa and many of its partners have been advocating for a deeper investment in inclusion, which resulted in the County Board of Supervisors allocating county Measure X funding to this planning effort.
Inclusion-Focussed Trainings
In addition to the community planning process, First 5 Contra Costa offers trainings to early care and education providers on inclusion strategies. These trainings aim to promote children’s learning, development, and sense of belonging in inclusive, accessible early care and education environments.
Through this effort, we will create more inclusive early care and education spaces that provide children, families and providers with the support they need to be healthy and ready to learn. Click here to register (and learn about a $600 shopping pass) and join us for no-cost training sessions and professional development opportunities.
Stakeholder Focus Groups
Early Childhood Education providers
- Family Child Care: Monday, April 22, 6pm
- Centers: Tuesday, April 23, 6pm
Parents/Caregivers
- Thursday, May 16, 7:30pm
- Thursday, May 23, 12pm
Advocates & Folks with Lived Experience
First 5 Contra Costa invites community input on this effort. If you are interested in participating in one of the focus groups or learning more about the effort, please reach out to Emily Hampshire (she/they), Program Coordinator at ehampshire@first5coco.org.