Ability New Brunswick has launched a new microsite aimed at helping early learning centres and daycares create more inclusive spaces for children with mobility disabilities.
Haley Flaro, the executive director of Ability New Brunswick, noted that the organization observed a trend in those facilities and decided to partner with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD).
Childcare centres were inquiring about how to build inclusive playgrounds and classroom spaces, as well as grant and funding opportunities to support this work.
“It really was a natural next step for us, because we know that inclusion starts really early, and we have a lot of families that often struggle to find accessible, inclusive daycares for children with a mobility disability,” she said, speaking with The Courier. “This was a perfect partnership for us, and we’re really excited … with the hub that’s been developed.”
According to the Government of New Brunswick (GNB), in June 2024, an estimated 35.3 per cent of people had a disability. It is the second-highest rate of disability in Canada, falling behind neighbouring Nova Scotia.
Flaro said Ability New Brunswick reviewed 60 early learning and childcare facilities throughout the province to measure the level of inclusion. Inclusion was one of the pillars included in the Canada-New Brunswick Child Care Agreement.
New Brunswick, she explained, has been able to allocate money to help those facilities. She added that the applications are underway.
Ability New Brunswick conducted jurisdictional scans on inclusive learning and found that mobility disabilities are often overlooked. Flaro said that, in most cases, few centralized sources exist for people to find the resources that are available.
“This is the first time in New Brunswick … where there is a hub for workers, parents, working with children with a mobility disability, with a really close focus on inclusive play for that population, [and] inclusive resources,” she said.
Flaro said her organization often hears stories about parents who find it difficult to secure placement in daycares and early learning centres, and that having a child with a mobility disability makes the process that much more complicated.
“We’ve had families that have gone to so many daycares to try and find the right space,” she said. “Sometimes they can find accessible indoor spaces, but the child’s not able to use the playground.”
She said critical development happens in those first several years of children’s educational experience, and if they are left out due to physical limitations, it leads to segregation.
“It really is unfortunate when we see this type of segregation that exists, and we know even better than ever that we need to start the dialogue about the resources around true inclusion for children with a mobility disability early,” she said.
You can visit the new portal on Ability New Brunswick’s website.
