“Everyone wants their kids included,” said Heidi Allen. “Everyone wants their children to have a sense of belonging.”

Heidi’s son Michael is 5 years old and attends Elwyn Seedlings through PHLpreK. Michael has cerebral palsy and autism. He’s beginning to walk, loves interacting with his peers, and enjoys playing outside.

In addition to being a PHLpreK student, Michael receives supports for children 3 to 5 years old with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Seedlings.

“It’s the best of both worlds. He’s getting the educational support he needs in a highly structured ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) program, but he still has access to typical peers, and he can apply what he is learning in the specialized setting every day which is so important.”

Heidi knew Seedlings was a great fit for Michael from the moment she and her husband, Paul, toured the center. Heidi is a social worker and Paul is an elementary school teacher. Before finding Seedlings they had contacted dozens of pre-K centers across the city, and none were a good fit in terms of accessibility and academic expectations.

“There’s often a real service gap in programs for students who have physical disabilities and are autistic,” said Heidi. “We liked the rigor of the program at Seedlings.” And, best of all, PHLpreK has helped the family save money, which they need for other services. Michael is able to attend social skills and physical therapy programming outside of pre-K, and Heidi was able to recently complete her second masters degree in school counseling from Gwynedd Mercy. Her goal, inspired by Michael, is to become a counselor.

Since enrolling at Seedlings one year ago, Michael has made great strides – literally and figuratively.

A month ago he started walking, and now keeps up with his school friends as they explore the classroom and playground.

On field trips to museums and gardens, he’s more attentive and curious. He loves seeing his friends when he and his family are out in their Roxborough neighborhood, and going to birthday parties for his schoolmates.

“It’s so meaningful for kids like Michael, that he’s going to school in his neighborhood, and that he has friends in his neighborhood.” said Heidi. “Inclusion is a big thing, because it works. Kids do better when they’re around everyone else. All kids benefit from learning very early on the differences in people,” said Heidi.

“We feel very fortunate to live in Philadelphia and have these services,” said Heidi. “There’s a lot of opportunity in this city for kids like Michael.”