San Francisco Expands Efforts to Support Children and Youth with Disabilities Through Citywide Training Initiative

San Francisco, CA — The City and County of San Francisco is expanding its efforts to support children and youth with disabilities through a new initiative focused on strengthening inclusion in city-funded programs for children and youth.

The San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families (DCYF) has launched the Inclusion Jumpstart Series, a required training for all DCYF-funded youth programs across the City and County of San Francisco. The series supports programs in creating welcoming, accessible environments where children and youth with disabilities can fully participate.

Families of children with disabilities face a significantly more difficult search for care that meets their needs. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that only 36 percent of parents of children with disabilities said their childcare covers their work hours well, compared to 53 percent of parents of children without disabilities. Data from the Afterschool Alliance also shows that more than 56 percent of these families report difficulty finding after school or summer programs that meet their child’s needs, and 38 percent of families who do not enroll their child in an after school program cite an inability to find a program that works for them.

The Inclusion Jumpstart Series is a three-part training series that provides practical tools, real-world scenarios, and clear guidance to support inclusive practices across youth programs. Training sessions focus on understanding legal requirements and the importance of inclusion, building program-wide systems that support youth with diverse needs, and developing strategies to navigate complex situations and sustain inclusive practices over time.

All DCYF-funded programs will be required to complete the full series, reinforcing San Francisco’s commitment to ensuring that every child and young person has access to high-quality and inclusive opportunities. By the end of DCYF’s 2024–2029 funding cycle, all 149 DCYF-funded agencies will have completed the series across their 268 programs.

“Building inclusive programs takes intention, training, and strong systems of support,” said DCYF Executive Director Sherrice Dorsey-Smith. “Through partnerships with experienced providers, the Inclusion Jumpstart Series gives our partners the tools they need to create accessible, high-quality inclusive programs and better meet the needs of youth with disabilities.”

This work builds on the City’s broader commitment to supporting children and families at every stage of development. Through the Family Opportunity Agenda, San Francisco is investing in systems that support families from before birth through young adulthood.

“Earlier this year, we launched the Family Opportunity Agenda, our citywide effort to bring down the cost of living and expand economic mobility so families can stay in San Francisco. And we are doing that by investing in after-school and summer programs that provide care and enrichment for our school-aged children,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “Today’s launch of DCYF’s Inclusion Jumpstart Series builds on that work by helping ensure every city-funded youth program is equipped to serve all children, including children with disabilities. Thank you to the entire DCYF team for all your hard work serving San Francisco’s young people.”

Recent Family Opportunity Agenda efforts such as Strong Starts, a citywide initiative to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, are working to remove barriers to healthy pregnancy and postpartum care that can contribute to developmental delays and disabilities, particularly for Black and Indigenous families. In addition, programs like Early Connections, led by the Department of Early Childhood, provide developmental screenings and playgroups that help identify delays early and connect children and families to the services they need.

Building on this foundation, the Inclusion Jumpstart Series equips youth-serving programs to support children and youth with disabilities as they grow, strengthening systems of support and expanding inclusive, high-quality opportunities across San Francisco.

"In San Francisco, we know that meaningful inclusion is fundamental to improving student outcomes—not just in our classrooms, but across every space where young people learn and grow," SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Maria Su said. "The Inclusion Jumpstart Series represents a critical investment in ensuring that youth programs are equipped to meet the diverse needs of all children and young people, including those with disabilities. This work is deeply aligned with SFUSD's commitment to equity, access, and achievement for every student. By strengthening inclusive practices citywide, we are creating more consistent, supportive environments that help all students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally."

“Every child deserves access to programs where they feel welcomed, supported, and able to fully participate,” said Supervisor Bilal Mahmood. “This initiative is about making that expectation a reality across San Francisco by investing in training, strengthening our youth programs, and ensuring that children and youth with disabilities are not just accommodated, but truly included.”

The Inclusion Jumpstart Series is delivered in partnership with Support for Families of Children with Disabilities and Village Well Parenting, which bring extensive experience training youth-serving programs and advancing inclusive practices across community-based settings.

"For more than 40 years, Support for Families has equipped families and professionals to meet the needs of children with disabilities, learning differences, developmental concerns, and complex medical needs,” said Wendy Neikirk Rhodes, Executive Director of Support for Families. “Our mission is to ensure every child has the supports and services they need to thrive — a commitment our staff advances through both professional expertise and deep lived experience. We are delighted that the City of San Francisco is deepening its commitment to ensuring every youth program is welcoming, inclusive, and accessible, and applaud Mayor Daniel Lurie and Director Sherrice Dorsey for their bold leadership in making that vision a reality."

“I founded The Village Well out of my own frustrations as a parent navigating systems that didn’t know how to support my children,” said Ed Center, founder of Village Well Parenting. “To my knowledge, San Francisco is the first city to invest in giving every single youth development professional and program the skills to create spaces where youth with disabilities can truly belong. This would not be happening without the bold leadership of Mayor Lurie and Director Sherrice Dorsey.“