Center for Inclusive Child Care

Center for Inclusive Child Care A network for promoting and supporting inclusion in all communities.

The CICC provides supports and learning opportunities to people interested in inclusive early childhood and school-age settings.

This is the time of year when many families start asking the big question…“Is this still the right child care fit for my...
05/30/2026

This is the time of year when many families start asking the big question…

“Is this still the right child care fit for my child?”

Beginning and end-of-summer transitions, moving into new child care programs, and adjustments to routines, there’s a lot to think through, and for families of children with special needs, those decisions can feel mountainous.

🔥 In 30 years of CICC, this tip sheet continues to be one that educators come back to. There’s a reason it sticks.

If you’re supporting families through this right now or having those conversations yourself, our tip sheet “Questions to Ask When Seeking Child Care for Children with Special Needs” is really helpful to have on hand.

It walks through the kinds of questions families can ask when exploring child care options, covering communication and daily routines, inclusion, support strategies, and overall fit. The kind of questions that lead to important conversations and confident decisions that will benefit the child.

This is also a great resource to share directly with families who are in that “we’re not sure what to do next” space.

Download your copy ⬇️

Is anyone else feeling the pressure of milestone season?Preschool graduations, children moving to new classrooms, summer...
05/29/2026

Is anyone else feeling the pressure of milestone season?

Preschool graduations, children moving to new classrooms, summer transitions, and families wondering if their child is "where they should be."

This time of year can bring a lot of comparison, but every child develops differently.

As educators and caregivers, one of the greatest gifts we can give children is the time, support, and encouragement they need to grow at their own pace.

What is something you wish families knew about child development and milestones? Share your thoughts in the comments. 👇

05/26/2026

There’s a moment that happens in this work more often than we talk about…

A child notices a difference, like a skin color, language, or something about another child or adult, and says it out loud. You pause, wondering what the right response is.

The truth is, most of us weren’t ever really taught how to navigate those moments, so it can feel easier to redirect or move past them, even though we know those are the exact moments that matter most.

In this episode of the Inclusion Matters Podcast, we sit down with Young Hearts Open Minds to discuss how to approach these conversations appropriately.

The conversation gets into how children begin to notice differences at a very young age, what happens when we avoid those topics, and how we can start showing up with more confidence, even if we don’t have all the answers.

One of the most helpful reminders from this episode is that you don’t need to get it exactly right in order to make a meaningful impact. Being present and being willing to engage in conversation with a child goes a long way toward helping them feel safe, seen, and understood.

If you’ve ever found yourself in that moment, unsure of what to say or how to respond, this is a really great place to start.

🎧 Check out the full episode ⬇️

You can feel it this time of year.Children are getting ready to move into different programs, new children are about to ...
05/25/2026

You can feel it this time of year.

Children are getting ready to move into different programs, new children are about to join your space for the summer, and routines start to shift, even if you haven’t fully changed them yet.

It’s okay for things just to feel a little off right now.

Spring is a natural season of transition in child care, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy, especially for children who need more time, more support, or more predictability to feel settled.

Our Tip Sheet: Children with Special Needs: Transitions is a great resource to reference at the start of new seasons. It walks through simple ways to plan ahead, maintain consistent routines, and make transitions feel more manageable for the children in your care.

👉 Download it below and keep it nearby over the next few weeks.

05/23/2026

There’s something really powerful about hearing a grandmother sing the same lullaby that’s been passed down for generations. 💛

Our newest episode of the Inclusion Matters Podcast pulls at your heartstrings! Marian Hassan shares the story behind Sing Again, a beautiful project preserving Somali lullabies and oral storytelling traditions here in Minnesota.

As she talks about language, identity, motherhood, memory, and the healing power of singing to children… You can feel just how deeply this work matters.

Honestly, by the end of the episode, it makes you want to slow down, hold a child a little closer, and sing to them.
Whether you work in early childhood, love music, care about culture and language preservation, or need something hopeful to listen to right now… this conversation is worth your time.

🎧 Listen to the full episode at the link below.

There are moments in child care work that sometimes don’t make sense.A child who suddenly seems different.Big reactions ...
05/21/2026

There are moments in child care work that sometimes don’t make sense.

A child who suddenly seems different.
Big reactions that feel out of proportion.
A family going through something you can sense… but don’t fully know how to support them.

Sometimes, there’s more to the story.

Our self-study, The Impact of Parental Incarceration on Young Children, was created for those moments. It walks through what children may be experiencing when a parent is incarcerated, and how that shows up in their behavior, relationships, and overall development.

More importantly, it gives you a way to respond with a better understanding of what the child may be experiencing internally.

This is a heavy topic, and having the language and a few ways to support children experiencing this can make a big difference for that child.

Start your self-study course ⬇️

🔥In its 30th year, CICC is proud to offer a self-study that educators continue to return to...There’s a reason it sticks.

Fun Fact: The course is free (thanks to GTCUW 80x3) and offers 10 training hours you can complete at your own pace.

05/17/2026

No one tells you this part out loud…

When a child needs more support, you don’t just give a little more; you end up rearranging your entire day to support the child.

Most providers just… absorb that adjustment and move on with their day, regardless of whether they are frustrated or depleted.

In the episode "Minnesota Child Care Assistance Special Needs Rates" on the Inclusion Matters Podcast, Priscilla and Ms. Lanay Jacobs with the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families discuss options to support both the child and the provider.

Learn about the Child Care Assistance Rate, who qualifies, and how to even begin the process if you’ve never done it before.

If you’ve ever had a child who consistently needs more support and felt the pressure from that… this one’s worth listening to.

🎧 Take a few minutes and see what you didn’t know was possible.

Are you tired of defending play to people who think learning should “look” more academic? 😅We get it, people want what i...
05/16/2026

Are you tired of defending play to people who think learning should “look” more academic? 😅

We get it, people want what is best for their children, but its not only about how to read, count and write.

Children learn self-regulation during dramatic play, build language through songs and stories, and develop problem-solving skills while arguing over who gets the red truck. 👀

This free tip sheet breaks down the 12 Types of Play and why each one is beneficial in early childhood development.

Grab your copy below… and maybe share with families when they question the amount of play happening in your child care setting. 💛

Grab the tip sheet below. ⬇️

Still searching Pinterest at 10 PM for classroom ideas? 😵‍💫We’ve got you.Every week, we send free early childhood resour...
05/15/2026

Still searching Pinterest at 10 PM for classroom ideas? 😵‍💫

We’ve got you.

Every week, we send free early childhood resources straight to your inbox, so the support comes to you.

👉 Sign up for our weekly newsletter below.

We created this so you don’t need to search anymore…May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and if you’re caring for young...
05/13/2026

We created this so you don’t need to search anymore…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and if you’re caring for young children, you know how often questions come up—Is this typical? How do I support them? What do I do in this moment?

Instead of piecing it together on your own, we’ve pulled together resources just for families and caregivers—practical, real-life support you can actually use.

If you’re a provider, this is something you can easily share with the families you work with, too.

Take a look. It might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

Address

10520 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 200
Minnetonka, MN
55305

Telephone

+16516418339

Website

https://linktr.ee/inclusionmatters

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