Enrolling children with developmental needs in preschool

Enrolling Children with Developmental Needs in Preschool

It is natural that you, your centre leader or EC educators have concerns when enrolling a child with developmental needs at your preschool. Such concerns could stem from not feeling equipped with the necessary skills, not knowing how to manage the child safely with the other children in the class, or being unsure if the child will be able to access and benefit from centre’s curriculum. These concerns are real, and we recognise that centres have the final say in deciding whether to enrol a child taking into account the various considerations.

At the same time, literature has also highlighted that enhancing support for children with developmental needs within inclusive preschool setting can benefit all children, not just those with developmental needs. It makes a world of a difference for the child and his/her family, if they can participate and learn alongside typically developing peers in the same setting.

This section suggests how ICOs can support your centre in deciding to enrol a child with developmental needs:

• 1.1 Request for background information on child
• 1.2 Conduct observation of child in preschool setting
• 1.3 Preparing for enrolment

The section is contributed by:

• • Dr Honey Ng (PCF)