MRTQ and CCIDS: A Partnership for Inclusion

As a partner in the Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network (MRTQ PDN)​,​ CCIDS is part of a coordinated early childhood professional development system that supports professionals to provide inclusive high quality early childhood programs by the following:

  • Ensuring that the current trainings include specific pedagogy for children with disabilities woven throughout the entire curricula.
  • Developing and teaching supplemental courses that support early childhood professionals’ confidence and competence to care for and teach children with diverse learning styles and needs.
  • Creating and field-testing the ​Maine Inclusion Credential,​ a specialty credential tied to specific competencies, and designed to help professionals build skills, knowledge, resources, and attitudes to promote quality, inclusive practices in their programs.
  • Providing access to consultation specialists, including inclusion facilitators and early childhood mental health consultants.
  • Coordinating and staffing the Warm Line​ service for telephonic and email access to professionals for advice, problem-solving and help locating resources.

The following graphic illustrates ​Maine’s ​response to​ the HHS/DOE ​Joint Policy Recommendations​ on  the Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs:

CCIDS partnership activities includes QRIS Indicators, Free Resources such as Growing Ideas Tipsheets, Training such as Maine Inclusion Credential and Technical Assistance like the TA Competencies.
Linda Labas, M.Ed.,​ CCIDS’ Early Childhood Coordinator, ​recently presented a poster, Partnerships Promoting a Culture of Inclusion in Maine’s Early Childhood Workforce​,​ at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities Annual Conference in Washington, DC. Th​e​ poster highlight​ed​ the Maine UCEDD’s role as a statewide resource and collaborative partner in advancing inclusive practice in Maine’s early care and education system. It ​covered the delivery of a continuum of supports for inclusion; examine​d​ collaborations that create systemic impact; and review​ed​ the services needed to increase knowledge, skills and application of practices to improve the quality of early care and education settings in Maine. ​For more information, please contact Linda at labas@maine.edu