Finding quality for children who have special needs can be extremely difficult. The Alaska IN! project is a project offered by thread.

Alaska IN! provides enhanced early care and education referrals to families who have children with special needs. Extra hands-on assistance is provided to families to find appropriate early care and education. Alaska IN! promotes inclusive early care and education for all children in Alaska.

• Early Childhood Specialists provide enhanced referrals and work closely with all families of children with special needs and their early educators.
• An Early Childhood Specialist acts as a liaison between parents, the child's early educator, and other resources in the community.
• Early educators will receive specialized training and consultation to support their care of children with special needs.
• Early educators can receive supplemental payments, based on the needs of the child through your local Child Care Assistance office or the State of Alaska's Division of Public Assistance.

All families with children who have special needs are eligible for enhanced referral services. However, to be eligible for the special needs subsidy:

The family must be eligible for a child care subsidy program AND the child must have a special need and be age birth through age 12.

Download the Alaska IN! for Special Needs Application Packet below.

This project is a combined effort of the Alaska Inclusive Early care and education Initiative Team and the Department of Education & Early Development.  This project is funded by a grant from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority.

For additional information, visit:

Alaska Early Intervention/Infant Learning Program 

Anchorage School District Child Check

Disability Law Center of Alaska

Stone Soup Group

University of Alaska Anchorage Center for
Human Development