The Role of Vocational Education

and the Young Special Meeds Child

Lynda L. West, University of Missouri

Vocational education improves the quality of caregiving for the young special
needs child in several ways: (a) Vocational education is a vehicle to train child
care staff who work with the young special needs child; (b) vocational educa-
tion is an ancillary service that provides child care for single parents who are
enrolled in vocational education programs; and (c) vocational education trains
future parents who may have a young special needs child. This article illus-
trates the relationship between vocational education and early childhood spe-
cial education. The article outlines curriculum used in teaching child care, the
purpose of the program, and the training experiences students enrolled in
child care programs receive.

During the past decade special education and vocational education

have struggled to educate special needs students in the least restrictive
environment. The Education for All Handicapped Children's Act, Public
Law 94-142, set forth the initiative in federal legislation for all special
education students. Nearly a decade later, in October 1984, the Carl D.
Perkins Vocational Education Act, Public Law 98-524, was signed. This
law reaffirmed the P.L. 94-142 initiative for service provisions for handi-
capped students enrolled or wishing to enroll in vocational education
programs. Special education then extended the effort through the
Amendments to the Education for All Handicapped Children's Act,
Public Law 99-457. This law mandated that all states provide a policy
regarding appropriate early intervention services to all handicapped
infants, toddlers, and preschool children by 1991. Separately, these
federal laws are significant milestones in the effort to provide quality
education to special needs students. Together, they can change the lives
of special needs students.

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Vocational education programs react significantly to labor market

demands. With the implementation of P.L. 99-457, there will be a need
for trained child care workers with skills in early childhood and a par-
ticularly strong emphasis in special education. Prior to P.L. 99-457,
however, vocational education already provided child care training pro-
grams. There was a component for the young special needs child in the
curriculum, but certainly not as strong an emphasis as there is currently
or as there will be in the future. Vocational education is a vehicle to pro-
vide training for the future generations of child care workers who will be
involved in the early identification, education, and supervision of the
young special needs child.
Vocational education is defined by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational
Education Act (P.L. 98-524) as organized educational programs that
directly relate to the preparation of individuals for paid or unpaid
employment, in such fields as agriculture, business occupations, home
economics, health occupations, marketing and distributive occupations,
technical and emerging occupations, modern industrial and agricultural
arts, and trades and industrial occupations, or for additional preparation
for a career in such fields and in other occupations requiring less than a
baccalaureate or advanced degree. Vocational student organization
activities are an integral part of each vocational program.
The Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act, P.L. 98-524, pro-
vides funding for support services for single parents to enable them to
enroll and participate in adult vocational education programs. Usually
the support services needed by single parents are child care and transpor-
tation. Single parent is defined by P.L. 98-524 as an individual who is
unmarried or legally separated from a spouse and who has a minor child
or children for which the parent has either custody or joint custody.
Child care programs can be located on-site in area vocational technical
schools or in community college settings where postsecondary vocational
programs are operating on day and evening schedules. This form of alter-
native care is available while single parents are attending classes and
developing their own occupational skills.
Through the service area of home economics, specifically, voca-
tional education primarily influences the curriculum and the attitudes of
future child care workers for the education and supervision of the young
special needs child. It is critical that vocational educators understand the
importance of issues and concepts that affect the early childhood, child,
and family development, as well as special education. The task before
vocational educators is to bridge the gaps in communication among these
three areas and improve the training that future child care workers
receive.
 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, 43

There are a variety of other secondary benefits that vocational

education child care programs provide as well, but the obvious benefit is
providing future parents with improved parenting skills. A child with a
handicapping condition imposes significant challenges on a family for the
additional parenting skills they will need, such as medical information,
knowledge of available instruction, and support services.
Both child care workers and parents who interact with a young spe-
cial needs child will imprint the education and development of the child.
Therefore, it is critical that the attitudes with which they approach their
responsibilities be positive, caring, and understanding. However, in addi-
tion to attitude, the knowledge base with which child care workers and
parents operate needs to be current and accurate. Vocational educators
are responsible for providing curriculum, materials, and resources that
will make accurate information available and part of the training process.
Vocational education not only identifies the skills child care workers
need, but also provides the necessarey observation, training, and experi-
ence required to familiarize individuals with terminology, concepts, and
approaches used in child care settings.
Vocational education affects the young special needs child in three
ways: (a) Vocational education is a vehicle to train child care staff who
work with a special population; (b) vocational education is an ancillary
service that provides child care for single parents who are enrolled in
vocational education programs; and (c) vocational education trains
future parents who may have a young special needs child. Alternative
caregiving will utilize vocational education programs to meet all of
these goals.

Vocational Training for Child Care

The purpose of vocational programs in child care is to provide
quality training for individuals entering the child care labor market,
which is rapidly increasing. Special School District for St. Louis County
(1982) in Missouri identified the following vocational objectives for
their child care program:
1. Prepare individuals for gainful employment in child care by meeting
job analysis requirements and specifications.
2. Prepare students to plan and provide an enriched, safe, and appropri-
ate learning environment to meet the physical, social, emotional, and
intellectual needs of young children.
44, TOPICS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION 8:2

3. Train students to organize and direct structured activities for

young children.
4. Identify patterns and characteristics of the young child's growth and
development and apply this knowledge to skills needed as child
care professionals.
5. Guide young children in child care facilities in order to enhance their
security and development.
6. Prepare students to recognize and respond to the needs of young
children with exceptionalities.
7. Develop a channel of communication with parents to foster positive
interaction and cooperation with the home environment.
8. Operate preschool programs to provide direct observation, training,
and instruction by working with young children.

Vocational programs that offer child care services as part of the

child care instructional programs frequently establish an ideal environ-
ment and opportunity to provide integrated settings in the least re-
strictive environment for handicapped children to interact with
nonhandicapped children. By providing integrated child care services and
improved child development experiences for the young special needs
child, vocational education is expanding the continuum of services; at
the same time it is improving the quality of alternative care services.
Training future child care workers to work with the young special
needs child requires a knowledge base regarding handicapping conditions
and the impact handicapping conditions will have on the individual child
and the family's reaction to the disability. Palmer (1985) noted the
following factors as affecting children's reactions to their handicapping
condition: (a) nature of the handicapping condition; (b) age when the
handicap occurred (if relevant); (c) the pain (physical or psychological)
associated with the handicap; (d) the child's experience; and (e) the
parental attitudes toward the child's handicap. No single factor ever
determines a child's reaction to his or her handicap; however, each factor
is important. Every child's adjustment is unique. The factors that are
important according to Palmer (1985) are as follows: (a) the child's
development level; (b) how he or she copes; (c) the nature of the
parent/child relationship; and (d) family acceptance of the handicap.
When training child care workers, the vocational instructor must
take these factors into consideration. Communication with the family is a
critical issue and requires sensitivity on the part of the child care worker.
Vocational instructors in child care programs not only stress the need for
sensitivity, but they also provide instruction in communication skills and
 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, 45

the communication process. Vocational instructors provide future child

care workers with information regarding (a) handicapping conditions;
(b) parental attitudes to be expected; (c) developmental level informa-
tion; (d) potential parent/child interaction patterns; and (e) counseling
techniques to work with families/parents of the young special needs
child. Vocational education programs train child care workers with
essential skills for working with the young special needs child. Training
provides a skilled labor force, a critical need as infant, toddler, and pre-
school programs increase during the coming decade. The better skilled
child care workers are, the better services available in alternative care
giving will be.

Vocational Education Curriculum

Vocational education heavily emphasizes a competency-based
vocational education curriculum to enhance a student's placement
opportunities at the end of the vocational program. Some states have
a required curriculum that must be taught, and some states have the
latitude to develop their own competency-based curriculum. Table 1
illustrates a sample of a locally developed curriculum from Special
School District of St. Louis County in Missouri. It is not the complete
curriculum outline, only selected portions to illustrate the topics and
content covered in child care programs.
In addition to the basic curriculum taught to future child care
workers, vocational educators work cooperatively with other educators
in providing vocational readiness skills that will assist any student enter-
ing vocational programs. The vocational readiness skills are referred to
by various terms in the literature; Missouri uses the term ACCESS skills.
ACCESS skills are those skills that would enhance any student's oppor-
tunity for success if the skills were mastered prior to program entry. In
child care programs, the ACCESS skills shown in Figure 1 have been
identified to assist educators in preparing seventh- through ninth-grade
students who wish to enter child care programs at the secondary level.
By preparing junior high/middle school students in ACCESS skills,
and later educating many of these same students at the secondary or
postsecondary level with the basic child care curriculum through
vocational education programs, vocational educators are enabling young,
potential child care workers and/or parents to be better equipped to care
for the handicapped child.
46, TOPICS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION 8:2

Table 1 . Sample Child Care Curriculum

(1) Orientation to Child Care • birth and delivery

Employment
• responsibilities of child care
• importance of adequate child care
• children's needs
• children's environment
(2) Development Information
• developmental terminology
• motor development
• emotional development
• social skill development
• intellectual development
• language development
(3) Curriculum Development
• problem solving
• community resources
• teaching and learning strategies
• sensory experiences
(4) Guidance and Communication
• significance of a child's behavior
• promoting responsible behavior
• communicating with preschoolers
• guiding children
(5) Observation Process
• guidelines for observation
• testing and evaluation
(6) Parenting
• family as a unit
• family environment
• basic family needs
• parent responsibilities
(7) Prenatal Care and Pregnancy
• prenatal development
• nutritional needs
• facts and fallacies about
pregnancy
(8) Infant Development and Care
• physical, social, and emotional
characteristics of infants
• group care for infants
• accidents and safety
(9) Child Growth and Development
• principles of development
• areas of development
• age-characteristic behavior of
children
(10) Exceptional Children
• types of exceptional children
• suggestions for working with
exceptional children
• techniques for working with
parents
• behavior patterns and responses
(11) Foods for Children
• nutritional needs of children
• eating habits
(12) Management and Budget
• types of management for child
care facilities
• budget development
• personnel practices and policies
(13) -Job Opportunities
• child care employment
opportunities
• applications and interview
• duties and responsibilities of child
care professionals

Parents as Partners
Vocational education provides curriculum and experiences for
future child care workers; in addition, it provides instruction to future
parents that ultimately improves the parenting skills of students enrolled
in the child care program. Child care in vocational education includes
utilizing parents as partners in the various stages of child development
and the educational process. Vasa (1983) cited four objectives of parental
involvement in education: (a) parents' increased knowledge regarding
their children's exceptionalities and their special needs; (b) parents'
change in attitudes toward childrearing and in particular toward
 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, 47

CHILD CARE WORKER

Sample Occupational Areas
Attendant, Children's Institution Nursery School Attendant
Child Day Care Center Worker Playroom Attendant
Child Care Attendant, School Teacher Aid I
Math Skills
Count two-place numbers Divide two-place numbers
Add two-place numbers Add common fractions
Subtract two-place numbers Subtract common fractions
Perform standard units of measurement, Multiply common fractions
i.e., cup, pint, quart, inch, foot, yard, Divide common fractions
ounce, pound Add two-place decimals
Use basic measuring instruments, i.e., Subtract two-place decimals
rulers, scales Multiply two-place decimals
Multiply two-place numbers Divide two-place decimals
Physical Demands/Working Environment
Lift 50 lbs. maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 lbs.
(Medium work)
Bend body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist (stooping)
Bend legs at the knees to come to rest on the knee or knees (kneeling)
Bend body downward and forward by bending the legs and spine (crouching)
Move about on the hands and knees or hands and feet (crawling)
Extend the hands and arms in any direction (reaching)
Seize, hold, grasp, turn or otherwise work with the hand or hands (handling)
Pick, pinch, or otherwise work with the fingers (fingering)
Perceive size, shape, temperature or texture of objects and materials by using fingertips
(feeling)
Ability to work inside
Ability to work in extreme noise, constant or intermittent, causing marked distraction or
possibly injury to hearing
Ability to work in extreme vibration, i.e., strain on body or extremities from repeated motion
or shock
Aptitudes - Indicates an ability to:
think visually of geometric forms (S-spatial)
comprehend the two dimensional representation of three-dimensional objects (S-spatial)
recognize the relationship resulting from the movements of objects in space (S-spatial)
move the fingers and manipulate small objects with the fingers, rapidly or accurately
(F-finger dexterity)
move the hands easily and skillfully (M-manual dexterity)
work with the hands in placing and turning motions (M-manual dexterity)
Temperament - Indicates an ability to:
deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions
perform a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature
without loss of efficiency or composure
Vocational
Demonstrate knowledge of basic safety concepts

Figure 1. ACCESS skills for child care worker. Note. From ACCESS SKILLS:
Vocational Readiness Skills Inventory for Special Needs Students (p. 24) by
S.K. Cassity & A. Boyer-Stephens, 1987, Columbia: University of Missouri.
48, TOPICS IIM EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION 8:2

childrearing practices appropriate for a young special needs child; (c)

parents' behavior and involvement in the education process, in particular
their rights and procedural safegards for their child and the child's
education; and (d) parents' knowledge of a child's behavior that will
ultimately lead to increased performance, problem solving, and so forth.
Vocational instructors for child care programs frequently become parent
educators, in addition to their direct instructional responsibilities.
Although this is not an expected or even anticipated role for vocational
instructors, they generally have acute observational skills because of their
increased familiarity with young children and what to expect from
children at certain developmental stages. They are frequently the first to
notice a child's delayed reaction or response as compared to the typical
reaction or response. While the delay may not be cause for alarm, the
vocational instructor with good communication skills can alert a parent
to potential problems. In some cases, the early warning signals aid
parents in contacting medical, social, or educational services in the com-
munity. The direction provided by vocational instructors of child care
programs can assist parents and young special needs children to obtain
help before the child enters school.
Child care programs often provide vocational instructors and
future child care workers with early screening opportunities. Informal
assessment is an important component of the early screening process
conducted in child care settings. Bacon, Blow, Clifford, and Smith (1985)
stated that the earlier a developmental deviation from the norm is dis-
covered, or a risk situation for normal development is recognized and
addressed, the more likely that deviation will be remediated or avoided.
Age is a critical factor; the older a child gets, the more likely the develop-
mental delay will become a handicap.
The support and education vocational instructors provide to
parents improves the quality of life for young special needs children and
their parents. The early identification and referral process provides a
valuable service. It is not uncommon for vocational instructors of child
care programs to conduct home visits if invited or if circumstances pro-
vide such opportunities to observe special needs children in their
home environment.

Conclusion
Vocational education has begun the dialogue with special education
through federal legislation, programs, and services. Yet there is still a
 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, 49

void in professional interaction regarding early childhood. O'Connell

(1983) stated that through professional interaction, integrated service
models will become a reality and child care providers will become
advocates for handicapped children. Believing that professional interac-
tion will enlarge the advocacy base, she has suggested the following
interaction strategies: (a) visiting local day care centers; (b) volun-
teering to attend local meetings to present information related to educa-
tion of the young handicapped child; (c) conducting inservices; and (d)
forming local alliances of young handicapped children and their families.
She concluded that young handicapped children should be integrated
into existing local programs to ensure their position in the educa-
tional system. Vocational education provides all of these oppor-
tunities.
There are many and varied reasons why the young special needs
child may require alternative care situations, such as: (a) Any working
parent will require care outside the home; (b) respite care is not an avail-
able resource in the community; (c) the current environment cannot
provide the early childhood developmental experiences needed to meet
the special needs of the child; and/or (d) social, emotional, financial,
health, or other related services are not available due to a series of
unavoidable circumstances.
Vocational education is currently involved in providing child care
services and preparing future child care workers with the skills they need
to work effectively with the young special needs child. Regardless of the
reasons, vocational education is a community resource that should not be
overlooked. Area vocational technical schools offering child care pro-
grams are a good place to begin.

References
Bacon, P.E., Blow, C, Clifford, S., & Smith, M. (1985) The LINCS activity manual and
resource guide. Columbia: University of Missouri-Columbia, Department of Special
Education.
Cassity, S., & Boyer-Stephens, A. (1987). ACCESS skills: Vocational readiness skills inven-
tory for special needs students. Columbia: University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri
LINC.
O' Connell, J.D. (1983). Education of handicapped preschoolers: A national survey of
services and personnel requirements. Exceptional Children, 49(6), 539-
Palmer, J. (1985). Youth in transition: What parents should know. The Exceptional Child,
^ ( 3 ) , 13.
50, TOPICS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION 8:2

Special School District of St. Louis County. (1982). Curriculum guide for child care assistant.
St. Louis, MO: Author.
Vasa, S. (1983). Parental involvement in career education. In A.H. Fink & C.J. Kokaska
(Eds.), Career education for bahaviorally disordered students. Reston, VA: Council for
Exceptional Children.