Serving Families of Children with Special Needs

Through free and confidential counseling, Children’s Council’s Inclusion Program connects families of children with special needs to child care programs that meet their needs. But program manager Kelvin Arenas does so much more than that.

“I feel like I’m creating these little maps for families so they don’t get lost” jokes Kelvin, who has been with Children’s Council since 2010.

Kelvin works with parents to understand the unique skills and needs of their child. From there, he walks families through finding child care, and, if needed, receiving early intervention screenings and working with Golden Gate Regional Center or San Francisco Unified School District to establish the child’s Individualized Education Program.

Kelvin regularly works with a family over the span of several months, touring child care centers in pursuit of the best placement for the child. The Inclusion Program uses a hands-on approach, accompanying parents to meetings and interviews with child care providers.

One important component to supporting families of children with special needs is to increase the number of inclusive child care programs in San Francisco. To support this goal, the Inclusion Program facilitates trainings and technical assistance for child care providers in our Family Child Care Quality Network to ensure they utilize best practices for children with special needs.

The results of these trainings show that inclusive child care is not as elusive as it seems. Providers already have the skills to encourage children’s development, so working with a child with special needs is simply a matter of learning what works for that particular child. Kelvin wants to break down stigmas and teach child care providers to be confident that they have the skills and training to meet the needs of all children.

In the end, Kelvin says his job is all about compassion. He admits it can be emotional at times, but the relationships he builds with families make it all worthwhile. Parents call years after their initial meeting to seek advice and recommendations for community resources. Kelvin is happy to help parents in any way he can, and he says his door is always open.

“It’s a long term relationship. I want to help families with their immediate child care placement and resources. I also want to help with activities that will support their child’s long-term development and school readiness.”

Kelvin’s ultimate goal is to help families and providers understand the beauty of each child, and learn how to create a successful environment where the child can grow and develop their skills.

Learn more about Children’s Council’s Inclusion Program here.