Federal law requires day care centers to provide reasonable accommodations for children with disabilities, but parents and advocates say finding care can be near impossible in some parts of the country.
In Georgia, advocates estimate that in three out of four cases kids with disabilities are denied by providers without even being considered. And parents say they are often lied to by day care providers who don’t want to take on children with special needs.
In many cases, advocates say, providers aren’t intentionally malicious, but may lack the training to feel comfortable including children with disabilities in their programs. Moreover, providers often worry that a child’s special needs could force them to require more staff, increase their liability for medical issues or cause other children to leave their program.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, children are supposed to be evaluated based on their individual needs and accommodations are mandatory in many cases. Nonetheless, families have little recourse outside of filing a lawsuit if a provider chooses not to work them, reports The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph. To read more click here.
