Specialized Inclusivity Training for Childcare Staff Grant Program.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of child care and development services for children up to 13 years of age. Existing law also requires the department to ensure that eligible children with exceptional needs are given equal access to all child care and development programs and requires all child care and development programs to include plans or programs, or both, for the care of the children when they are sick. This bill would, upon appropriation, establish the Specialized Inclusivity Training for Child Care Staff Grant Program, to be administered by the department. The bill would require the department, in administering the program, to award grants to child care centers and family child care homes to fund staff training on including children with disabilities and to collect data from child care centers and family child care homes that receive grants to determine whether the training provides better access to childcare for children with disabilities. The bill would make a related finding and declaration.