Children's Services is Committed to Early Learning for Every Child

The City of Windsor believes that child care plays a key role in promoting healthy child development and helping children become better prepared and ready to learn and achieve success when they start school in Grade 1.  It is also an essential support to parents, helping them to balance the demands of career and family while participating in the work force or pursuing education or training.

The City of Windsor is also committed to the inclusion of all children in early learning and care programs regardless of their diverse strengths and needs.  Inclusion means that all children will learn together in environments that provide services and supports for all children as needed.

The Children's Services Department requires that all early learning and child care programs that have entered into a purchase of service agreement with the City of Windsor develop an inclusion, access and equity policy.  The goal is to ensure that all children, regardless of their diverse strengths and needs, have access to an early learning and child care centre in their community.  Every licensed early learning and child care program in Windsor-Essex has access to a Resource Consultant for children with special needs, through Children First, who regularly visits and provides support including:

• Early identification and intervention
• Individual and program consultation
• Training and coaching to Early Childhood Educators
• Consultative/intensive resource support, as required
• Program adaptations and modifications
• Service Coordination, and more

There are a number of agencies in the City of Windsor that provide support to children from birth to six, who have special needs, and their families.  In partnership with the City of Windsor, these supports provide an important element to your child's early learning and development.