Resources for programs serving children with special needs
This TWC webpage will help you understand your responsibilities when caring for children with disabilities. It explains the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how the TWC can help make sure all children are welcome in your care.
This webpage offers tips on child development, healthy eating, and healthcare resources to help you care for children. You can also learn about how children learn and play, and find resources for children with special needs or delays.
Resources for children needing extra support
Services that can assist children zero to three years of age with disabilities, developmental delays, or certain medical diagnoses that may impact development. Families with children over the age of three should contact their local school district. Find your local school district here (zoom in to locate region, county, school district and specific school locations and contact information).
Positive behavior support is the prevention and intervention of challenging behaviors displayed by young children. Positive strategies used to change behavior can include teaching new skills, preventing challenging behaviors and supporting the child in achieving meaningful, long-term results.
These guidelines were created to help Texans understand what very young children should know and be able to do at different stages in their development.
These guidelines are aligned with the Kindergarten Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to follow child development and strategies for teaching three- to four-year-olds in the early childhood classroom.
Expulsion reduction and prevention
TWC Expulsion Reduction and Prevention Policy Statement:
TWC is committed to providing support and resources to child care and early education providers, caregivers and parents to assist in creating positive classroom climates, and in developing strategies to appropriately address challenging behaviors in order to reduce suspensions or expulsions from the child care setting.
Find resources for states, providers and parents about Reducing Suspension and Expulsion in Early Childhood Settings.
Professional development resources for guidance, discipline, and challenging behavior
TWC, in partnership with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, will provide free or low-cost online professional development courses designed to assist caregivers who work with children with challenging behavior and special needs.
TWC highly encourages child care providers serving TWC-funded children to make the courses part of staff development and ongoing staff training
- Positive Guidance and Discipline
- Positive Guidance and Discipline: Why, What, and How?
- Responding to Challenging Infant Toddler Behavior
- Trouble in the Classroom: Overcoming Challenging Behaviors in the Early Childhood Classroom
Infant and toddler training:
- Handling Infants’ and Toddlers’ Challenging Behavior
- What Parents Need to Know about Infant and Toddler Development
- Infant and Toddler Social Emotional Development
- Responding to Challenging Infant Toddler Behavior
- Introduction to Infant and Toddler Social Emotional Development
- Strategies for Caring for Preschool and School-age Children with Challenging Behaviors
TWC also encourages child care providers to review and consider adopting the principles in the U.S. Department of Education’s Guiding Principles: A Resource Guide for Improving School Climate and Discipline.