Happy Anniversary to CISS and to the hundreds of people who make inclusion possible in Ottawa child care centres every day! This is a time to celebrate the dedication and caring that go into welcoming and including children with special needs in child care programs across the city. The training, support, strategies and equipment that we provide are only a small part of what makes up these inclusive child care experiences. Attitudes and beliefs of the child care staff are at the heart of these successful experiences. Teamwork, innovation and a willingness to do things differently are evident in every component of the child care day. From the initial intake with families to adaptations in daily routine that are starting to feel less like adaptations and more like something that has become a natural part of the day, the evolution over the past 30 years is truly remarkable!

Congratulations to CISS as you mark your 30^th Anniversary! From the original vision for an inclusive model of supported child care in our community, the innovative foundation that was developed has always been about opportunities for all children and their families to belong.

It was critical that the new inclusion model that was envisioned, provide support in both official languages. French Language Designation was key to ensure that all Francophone parents/guardians as well as the early learning and child care community were able to relate and access support in French that was also culturally sensitive and supportive. I believe this reality and core belief and practice has been celebrated in our Francophone community.

Thirty years ago, a compelling vision of inclusion was expressed by a diversity of voices from a two-year community consultation. A collective vision of hope was articulated in the recommendations. This hope was not a passive wish, but a list of specific actions and aspirations that would build the steps toward an equitable childcare community, one in which all children belonged. Thus, the program of Children’s Integration Support Services (CISS) was born.