When a few King County Montessori schools began shutting down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Christine Meredith capitalized on her background in early education and founded Mosaic Montessori. As the mother of a neurodivergent child, she understood the importance of social and educational opportunities for kids and worked to make Mosaic a welcoming space for other children with neurodivergent profiles.

Mosaic began receiving support from Encompass Child Care Health Consultation (CCHC) Nurse, Caitlin Young. Our CCHC team provides free support to licensed childcare programs, preschools, and other care provider programs, empowering providers to nurture the healthy development of the children in their care. When Caitlin learned about the unique needs of many Mosaic students, she suggested the school might benefit from the Encompass Community-Based Services program.

Centered around therapy services provided in a child’s natural environment in childcare and preschool settings, the Community-Based Services (CBS) program supports the occupational, speech-language, and mental health goals of children, 3-years-old and up. By working inside the community, the program reduces barriers to access and widens support services for children and families.

Christine jumped at the opportunity to be included. Her own child began receiving services in the classroom and other families quickly followed suit. What began as Encompass visits two days a week expanded to four days a week, with more than half of the students at Mosaic currently receiving services as part of their natural preschool day.

One Mosaic family began their Encompass journey with our Early Support for Infants and Toddler program when their child was 2 years old. As they looked for a preschool program and discovered Encompass provided onsite therapy services at Mosaic, it helped make their decision. Not only does their son receive regular therapy services he wouldn’t be able to get otherwise, but his therapists are also able to see him in his natural environment with his peers. They see how he responds to distractions or how he is socializing and can provide appropriate support in that setting.

“He also gets more contact. Therapists are there four mornings a week. He wouldn’t get this kind of support if we had to work around school.”

The family also praised the collaboration between therapists and educators. When teachers realized that some of the child’s challenges typically occur during morning outside time, they scheduled his therapy time around that play session. As he fully engages with his peers outside, his therapists are positioned to observe, provide support where needed, and offer coaching to teachers about tools and techniques that work best for him.

Christine echoed the benefits of the therapist and educator collaboration.

“When a child is experiencing challenges, the therapist can work with that child in their natural setting. Teachers can continue with the rest of the class but also have an opportunity to observe what is happening with the child and therapist. This gives them tools they haven’t had before, and often tools that work for one kid, end up working for all.”

Christine also stressed that the benefits extend right to Mosaic Montessori as a whole. Preschools often aren’t equipped to handle students with neurodiverse profiles. As a result, some of her students started with one school but couldn’t stay or just didn’t have the support needed, so they left.

“Many of those kids have found refuge here. The schools that don’t have Encompass are missing out.”

Another benefit she has witnessed is the normalization of therapy.

“Other kids see and want to join in. Sometimes the whole class gets involved and it makes the kid receiving therapy not feel singled out, but instead, special.”

While the Community-Based Services program has a far-reaching impact on her preschool program and families, Christine also expressed her gratitude for the personal difference in her family.  As a working mom with a son requiring additional support, she simply cannot leave work or pull him out of school for the level of care he needs. Because of the Encompass CBS Program, she doesn’t have to. The benefit to her son can’t be understated.

“He wouldn’t be able to be the very best him without that support.”

Resources:

To learn more about the Encompass Community-Based Services program and where it’s offered, visit https://encompassnw.org/program/pediatric-therapy/community-based-services/.

Watch our Encompass It All Spotlight on Community-Based Services here: https://youtu.be/t8W8Hu5pT10

Take a deeper look at Community-Based Services with our Parent Talks Podcast: https://encompassnw.org/understanding-community-based-services/

If you are a center provider and would like to learn more about offering Community-Based Services in your program, reach out to [email protected].