First 5 Contra Costa is leading a project focused on creating more inclusive early care and education environments for children with disabilities.
The project is supported by local county Measure X funding and state Proposition 10 funding that First 5 Contra Costa pledged to add to the project.
First 5 Contra Costa is leading a community planning process to identify ways to improve early childhood programs’ ability to effectively include children with disabilities (diagnosed or undiagnosed), developmental concerns, and social-emotional delays, and their families. The process will include interviews and focus groups with parents of children, early learning educators, and community organizations who work with children with disabilities, delays or concerns. Information will also be drawn from the 2020 Inclusion Blueprint developed by the Contra Costa County Office of Education in collaboration with other early childhood agencies. The community input will result in a plan with recommendations on how to build the capacity of early childhood education programs by increasing their knowledge, skills, and resources to better include children with disabilities, delays or concerns.
In addition to the community planning process, in spring 2024 First 5 Contra Costa offered trainings to early care and education providers on inclusion strategies. These trainings aim to promote children’s learning, development, and sense of belonging in inclusive, accessible early care and education environments.
Measure X is a countywide 20-year, ½ cent sales tax approved by Contra Costa County voters on November 3, 2020. The ballot measure language included an intent to invest in early childhood services, and First 5 Contra Costa is excited that the Board of Supervisors allocated these local funds to address this early childhood need in the county. The Board of Supervisors allocated $405,000 per year of Measure X funds to the effort, and First 5 Contra Costa is adding $200,000 per year in Proposition 10 funding.
Through this effort, we will create more inclusive early care and education spaces that provide children, families and providers with the support they need to be healthy and ready to learn.
Project Updates
Hear & Give Input On Making Early Learning Programs More Inclusive: Register Now for August 7 Event
On the evening of Wednesday, August 7 we will be hosting a convening at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center to gather input from attendees about the draft recommendations for enhancing inclusion in early learning settings in our county. We encourage parents/caregivers with young children, early educators, and other community members to join us. At the meeting, First 5 Contra Costa and our partners at Cardea will share findings from community input gathered to date that informed the draft recommendations. Input gathered on August 7 will help shape the final recommendations which will be finalized in September, and will impact investments in the future.
Inclusion in Early Learning
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 from 6:30-8pm
Pleasant Hill Senior Center, Pleasant Hill
If you are unable to attend on August 7, a virtual session will be held August 15 from 12-1:30 pm
Click here to download (and share) the flyer
Stakeholder Focus Groups
Early Childhood Education providers
- Family Child Care: Monday, April 22, 6pm
- Centers: Tuesday, April 23, 6pm
Parents/Caregivers
- Thursday, May 16, 7:30pm
- Thursday, May 23, 12pm
Advocates & Folks with Lived Experience
In addition to the community planning process, this spring First 5 Contra Costa offered trainings to early care and education providers on inclusion strategies. These trainings aim to promote children’s learning, development, and sense of belonging in inclusive, accessible early care and education environments.
Through this effort, we will create more inclusive early care and education spaces that provide children, families and providers with the support they need to be healthy and ready to learn.
First 5 Contra Costa invites community input on this effort. If you are interested in participating in one of the focus groups or learning more about the effort, please reach out to Emily Hampshire (she/they), Trauma & Resiliency Coordinator at ehampshire@first5coco.org.