Federal officials from the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services traveled to North Carolina on Tuesday, May 12, to highlight early learning and the importance of providing inclusive services for children with and without disabilities together.

Libby Doggett (right), U.S. Department of Education’s deputy assistant secretary for policy and early learning, Ruth Ryder (left), deputy director of the Office of Special Education Programs, and Amanda Bryans (center), division director for the Office of Head Start, visited the Jordan Child and Family Enrichment Center to learn more about the challenges and successes of implementing an inclusive program that serves children and families with financial needs and children with developmental needs, from birth to age 5. The Jordan Center, a five-star licensed early education/child care program in Raleigh, North Carolina, provides an environment where children feel comfortable and safe while they are engaged and challenged to learn.

The federal officials later participated in a panel discussion at the 2015 National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute, where they released a draft policy statement on inclusion. The panel also shared emerging information on federal early childhood policies and initiatives related to inclusive services for infants, young children, and their families.

Photo credit: courtesy of the Jordan Child and Family Enrichment Center.