Some of the most important assistance COARC provides is to children with disabilities. When COARC gets involved early in a child's development, remarkable progress can be made. Difficulties can be lessened or eliminated and behaviors can be modified or changed thereby assisting a child to reach his or her fullest potential.

COARC's The Starting Place offers both day care and center-based classroom services. Day Care Services are available to children ages 18 months to three years and Preschool Services are available for children ages three to five years. Services run Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. Both services provide a unique opportunity for integrating children with and without developmental disabilities through a shared environment where all children can prosper. Guidelines are also set and monitored by the Department of Social Services for provision of quality day care, and the program has a fulltime dedicated Registered Nurse available.

A warm classroom setting focuses on teaching children adaptive communication, fine and gross motor skills, and play activities work to improve social-emotional, cognitive and sensory impairments. Trained professional staff supervise all classrooms and provide a high adult-to-child ratio. Special Education teachers and assistants provide educational instruction and utilize a developmentally appropriate play-based curriculum. Licensed clinicians provide individualized speech therapy, occupational therapy, social work, physical therapy, and psychological services.

For children whose developmental delays require additional individual attention, upon enrollment The Starting Place assesses a child's developmental functioning and resources and clinical supports can be marshaled out. Often children may enter our program with one or several delays, but upon graduating The Starting Place many times children are able to be mainstreamed into the public school system. Recommendations for appropriate services are made to local school districts as children grow and enter school, and for children whose delays need still more attention, Special Education Services can provide a smooth transitional gateway to further growth and opportunity.

For more information about our Children's Services, please contact COARC's Main Headquarters or email us at info@coarc.org.