3. Developing Inclusive and Equitable Programs and Policies

Inclusive and equitable programs are committed to meeting the needs of all participants and families. At the Haring Center, we often talk about how it's not enough to simply have children with and without disabilities in the same environment. Rather, we have to be intentional about providing support so everyone can participate in a meaningful way. But in order to do this, we need to clearly understand children's support needs when creating the policies or rules that are in place to keep everyone safe.

Inclusive programs take a flexible approach to supporting children and families rather than adhering to strict policies and a one-size-fits-all approach. In this video, we'll talk about three examples of inclusive program policies focusing on three main components: planning for inclusion by asking the right questions, supporting behaviors in proactive and collaborative ways, and creating inclusive, adaptive routines for meals and bathroom trips.

Let's begin. Of course, the first and foremost priority in every program is safety, and to keep everyone safe, program staff must have a clear understanding of what children can do independently, what they can do with help, and how this informs their participation in program activities. For example, if a program includes swimming, we need to know how well a child can swim and if they're able to independently put on and take off their swimming suit and change into dry clothing.

If a program includes taking public transportation, we need to know if children have the endurance to walk to the bus stop or if they've ever been on an escalator like the one they may encounter on the way to the light rail. In inclusive programs, not being able to complete an activity independently does not mean that a child can't attend. Rather, inclusive programs have systematic ways to gather information about a child's support needs and use it to inform their programming and plans.

Let's look at an example with Leonard, who's attending a local parks and recreation camp. The enrollment form includes detailed information about what campers will do, things like hiking through wooded trails and exploring the beach. The registration page reads: "At Outdoor Camp, we spend most of our time hiking and exploring the forest in small groups. Campers need to be able to remain with a camp counselor and hike on rocky, uneven terrain. Safety is our main priority. What accommodations does your child need to do these activities? For example, will your child benefit from being close to a counselor during hikes or need to be reminded to drink water?"

This is followed by a larger text box where families can share information about their child's support needs. In another spot on the form, there's a detailed list of things campers will need, including sturdy shoes for hiking, a lunch, a water bottle, and text that reads: "Please bring whatever materials might make your camper feel more comfortable. We know some campers like sunglasses, headphones, fidget tools, and have augmentative and alternative communication systems. If your child has specific accommodations they use in other settings, please tell us a bit about these here," followed by another text box.

By asking the right questions, camp leaders are able to plan for various support needs of campers, and families have the space to honestly and openly share these. We've included an example program intake form in the resources section for this module.

Behavior is another important consideration. All children have the right to be safe in any school or community program, and it's the responsibility of each program to ensure this happens. Many children need some help managing their behavior, especially children with disabilities. Even with the best practices in place, some children will likely still engage in behaviors that are challenging for adults. Unfortunately, many programs expel or ask children who engage in minor challenging behaviors not to come back, which limits opportunities for community engagement and inclusion for many children.

Let's look at an example with Isabella. She has Down syndrome and occasionally hits and pinches other children in her Sunday school class. Her family has been members of this church for many years and wants Isabella to participate in this important community activity. When Maria, the Sunday school teacher, asks for a meeting to discuss Isabella's behavior, her mother and grandmother are very worried. Will Maria tell them that Isabella can no longer attend Sunday school?

Instead, they’re relieved when Maria starts the conversation by saying, "Isabella is a member of this community, and we want her to have positive interactions with her friends here. I would love your help in making a plan to help her. What’s worked at school or in other places?" Elena, her mother, shares that Isabella engages in this behavior when she gets frustrated and when people don’t understand what she’s trying to say. Visuals have been really helpful at school, especially around transitions away from things that Isabella really loves, and ensuring that she knows what’s next on the schedule really helps reduce her frustration.

Elena emails some visuals her teachers use at school, and Maria wonders if they might be able to get another volunteer to help in this class and plans to talk with the church leaders about this. In this example, we see a program reaching out to work with families to keep the child in their community and create a plan. This flexible approach ensures Isabella gets to stay with her friends and church community.

Finally, we know some adaptive routines can be very exclusive for some children depending on their support needs. In some cases, programs have specific policies about how involved adults can be with bathroom routines and what options are available for meals. While these policies are usually in place to keep both children and adults safe, they can present barriers for some.

Let’s look at an example. Elaine is going to Girl Scout camp for the first time. She’s so excited to spend time with her troop and earn some new badges. As Ken, her dad, completes the online registration, he’s pleased to see a detailed form with information about the specific routines children will do at camp, including particular information about meals and the bathroom. This camp has outhouses, which are new for Elaine. They include detailed information about the bathroom routine, noting: "Our Girl Scout camp is equipped with spigots for filling water bottles and outhouses as bathrooms. When using the outhouse, campers will enter alone, with troop leaders nearby. Outside the outhouse is an outdoor sink, hand sanitizer, and wipes. Please let us know if your Girl Scout may need additional support with this routine. We’d love to meet with you and make a plan to support her."

In this example, the leaders provide information on bathroom routines ahead of time, inviting families to share information about what their child might need to fully participate. Ken reaches out to the troop leader and has the chance to visit the facilities ahead of time, which makes Elaine feel much more comfortable. Elaine also has several food allergies and prefers to eat the same food each day. The registration form notes that a communal lunch will be served, including a menu of food options. Ken realizes that very few of these foods are safe for Elaine, so he talks with camp staff to determine if they can meet her dietary needs. After the meeting, he’s relieved to learn that Elaine can bring lunch every day, and staff share that she will not be the only Girl Scout who does so. There are several others who have food allergies too.

This is another example of how program leaders prioritized family and child needs in communication over blanket policies that could prevent some children from joining their community. They actively asked families about Girl Scouts’ support needs and were willing to take an individualized approach to help Elaine and Ken feel safe and comfortable. In the end, Elaine had a great time at Girl Scout camp and made some wonderful new friends.

In summary, inclusive and equitable programs must take a flexible approach and be willing to meet children and families where they are. This might include providing different ways for children to participate, ensuring that a child has certain support or a specific thing to eat, or being creative about how to assist children with adaptive routines like changing clothes or using the bathroom. We could spend all day talking about the barriers that might exist in community settings, but it’s far more productive for us to focus on what we can do to support children and families in our programs.

Of course, meeting the needs of individuals does not mean that a program sacrifices high safety standards. A flexible, collaborative approach that prioritizes family communication and input helps keep all children safe and provides staff with the information they need to ensure that everyone is supported, welcomed, and can participate in a fun, meaningful way.