Publications

Special Needs Resources

The majority of early learning programs serve some children with special health needs. These are children with a special medical, behavioral, or developmental condition. They are children who require care that differs in some way from that of typically developing children. For example, children need individual care plans if they have asthma, a severe allergic reaction to a food, seizures or diabetes. Children who have challenging behavior require care plans too.

ECELS has developed many tools to help programs set up a care plan for a child with any type of special need. The ECELS website has forms, a checklist and a process guide to download and use to make effective care plans.

Use these tools to gather information from the child’s health care professionals about how to provide routine and emergency care. Try using the form that helps staff document observations and concerns about children’s behavior. Use the checklist of items that should be addressed in a care plan. Take a look at the general care plan form. View these tools at www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org. Select “Tools”, and then “Forms.” 

Contact ECELS health professionals if you need help to develop a care plan for a child with a special need. In PA, please send your health and safety request with your name and phone number to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Reviewed and reaffirmed 6/2021