Inclusion Resources / Tip Sheets

This page collects inclusion related resources to help providers and parents learn more about the practice of inclusion and how best to support children with disabilities within early care settings. The resources below are organized by category in hopes of making it easier to find the information you are looking for.

Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-based practice is the process of pulling together the best available research, knowledge from professional experts, and data from children and their caregivers in order to identify and provide services that are proven to achieve positive outcomes for children.

Social and Emotional / Behavior Supports 

Social and Emotional

Challenging Behavior

Visual Supports
Making Accommodations or Adaptations
Disability Specific Information
Federal Policy Statements

Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

  • Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs
    This revised policy statement from the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) (the Departments) builds upon the earlier 2015 policy statement with renewed commitment and urgency as children with disabilities continue to face significant barriers accessing and participating in inclusive early childhood programs.

    The policy statement was written with the input of early learning professionals, families, and other early learning stakeholders. Though it focuses on including young children with disabilities, it is the DOE’s and DHHS’s shared vision that all people be meaningfully included in all facets of society throughout the course of their lives. This begins in early childhood programs and continues into schools, places of employment, and the broader community.
  • Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Practices in Early Childhood Settings
    The DOE and DHHS issued this policy statement to assist States and their public and private local early childhood programs in severely limiting and preventing expulsions and suspensions in early learning settings. Recent data indicates that expulsions and suspensions occur with regularity in preschool settings, a serious concern given the well-established research that indicates how these practices can influence a number of adverse outcomes across development, health, and education.
  • Policy Statement on Family Engagement: From the Early Years to the Early Grades
    When families and the institutions where children learn partner in meaningful ways, children have more positive attitudes toward school, stay in school longer, have better attendance, and experience more school success. To further this position, the DOE and DHHS released this policy statement on the implementation of effective family engagement practices in early childhood and learning programs.
  • Policy Statement on Supporting the Development of Children who are Dual Language Learners in Early Childhood Programs
    It is the vision of the DOE and DHHS that all early childhood programs adequately and appropriately serve the diverse children and families that make up this country. Programs should foster their cognitive, linguistic, social emotional, and physical development and prepare them for success in school and beyond.

Additional Resources

Position Statements

DEC and NAEYC Joint Position Statement on Early Childhood Inclusion

Division of Early Childhood 

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Inclusion Tip Sheets
Wisconsin Specific Resources
National Resources and Organizations

If you have questions or concerns about a child's development (physical, social-emotional, or cognitive), these resources could help: