The Disability History Museum's mission is to foster a deeper understanding of how changing cultural values, notions of identity, laws, and policies have shaped and influenced the experience of people with disabilities, their families, and their communities over time.
The Disability History Museum hosts a Library of virtual artifacts, Education curricula, and Museum exhibits. These programs are designed to foster research and study about the historical experiences of people with disabilities and their communities. Learn more about the Disability History Museum. here: https://www.disabilitymuseum.org
photo credit: Yoshiko Dart 1993
Black and white photo of an ADA celebration march. Judy Heumann, Justin Dart Jr., and other people are in the front. Behind them is a large white banner with black writing that says "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. -Martin Luther King Jr."
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.
All family child care providers, including those who are exempt from their state regulations must comply with the ADA.
A disability is a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more major life activities: hearing seeing, learning, speaking, and walking.
Such disabilities include, but are not limited to cancer, cerebral palsy, deafness, diabetes, emotional or mental illness, epilepsy, HIV and AIDS, learning disabilities, and mental retardation.
Does this mean that you must care for every child who has a disability and wants to enroll in your program?
No.
It means you must make "reasonable accommodations" to include children with disabilities. What is reasonable will depend on the individual assessment of the child’s needs and your ability to accommodate those needs.
Child with a Severe Learning Disability
A parent wants to enroll her child in your program and the child has a severe learning disability. Your job is to find out what it would take to accommodate this child and properly care for the other children in your program. Ask the parent, the child's doctor/nurse for help in understanding what this child needs.
If you are able to provide appropriate care after obtaining a little training then you must provide the care. If it's not possible for one person to provide care for everyone, then you need to explore what it would take to bring in another adult to help. If you can find a volunteer, you must provide the care. If the only solution is paying a helper and the helper would cost you $400 a week, this would be considered a "significant expense."
For additional help in understanding the ADA, talk with your local Child Care Resource & Referral agency or visit www.ada.gov.
What are your questions about the ADA?
For more information about the ADA, see my book Family Child Care Legal and Insurance Guide.
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