ACAP Child & Family Services offers a Special Needs Child Care
program to provide enhanced early education
services to children ages 1 month to 6 years. The program's focus
is children with special developmental
or behavioral needs requiring additional
support and understanding.
The program is provided in an integrated classroom setting and allows
children the opportunity to participate in regular childcare activities
with additional services as defined below. Questions about this program
can be directed ACAP’s social worker at (253) 939-0870. Enrollment
for this program is open to any child needing the services. Because
we believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn and grow
to their fullest potential ACAP utilizes foundation grant funding
for special needs to make services available to any child in our care
that is identified as requiring special help to reach their learning
goals.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS for DSHS SPECIAL
NEEDS FUNDING
The child must meet one of the following criteria and be eligible for DSHS
Special Needs funding:
- IEP from the Auburn
School District
- Enrolled in the
Birth to Three program with an IFSP
- Behavior Management
Plan at ACAP Child & Family Services
- Documented developmental
delay or behavioral concern indicated
by health care provider, therapist
or other trained individual
- Referred by DCFS,
DSHS or the Public Health Department
SERVICES PROVIDED
ACAP provides the following
services:
- Developmental evaluation
using the Ages & Stages Developmental
Inventory
- IDP (Individual
Development Plan)
- Case management
services
- Advocacy and community
referral
- Home visits
- Daily behavior documentation
- Staffing with service
providers
- Behavior Management
Plans, as needed
- Enhanced staff to
child ratios, as needed
- Integrated child
care environment
- Supervised visitation
for non-custodial parents
- Parenting classes
The Special Needs Program was funded historically only by DSHS dollars. As the governmental funds have diminished we now use other resources including grants, government funding and donations to cover the extended costs for highly qualified staff and services.
ACAP has contracted with Valley Cities Counseling & Consultation for family and early childhood mental health specialist consultations in our facility weekly to support all children in our care. And we contract for monthly Public Health Nurse visits to support our families.
One Parent's Note to ACAP
I had serious reservations about my son's behavior starting around age 2.
Our family faced several obstacles while finding the right child care. We
wanted to find a facility that would work with our family and was willing to
proactively help with my son's behavioral issues. We checked out several
places and even tried out one with no success. We were left feeling
helpless.
When I first approached ACAP, I had a great feeling about the place, the
office gal was happy to assist me with my questions. The classrooms were
clean and well structured and the atmosphere was all about family and family
success. I enrolled my son shortly after into ACAP's Head Start Program.
Once enrolled at ACAP the staff assisted me with getting him tested for an
IEP through the Auburn School District, which later led to his enrolling
into a part-time ECE program. ACAP staff were involved in the process as
well and assisting my son in meeting his IEP objectives. The staff gave me
several resources and helpful tools to assist my family. My son recently
graduated from the ECE program and Head Start. He will be starting
Kindergarten in the fall without an IEP. I can honestly say that had it not
been for ACAP and their ability to get involved, my son would most likely
still have serious behavioral issues. ACAP has assisted me in becoming my
son's strongest advocate and I will be forever grateful to them.
Sincerely,
Proud Parent of an ACAP Participant |
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