True disability inclusion requires intentional work to ensure that all children are set up for success in your camp community. However, some children may require additional strategies and a shift in mindset to successfully participate. Without proactive planning, children with challenging behaviors can face negative interactions that often result in exclusion, strained relationships with families, and camp staff feeling unprepared to support them.

By implementing intentional practices — ranging from effective intake processes to ongoing staff training — camps can reduce or even eliminate the need for suspension practices while fostering positive participation for all.

Identifying the Need

As an inclusion consultant, I often hear from camp professionals who feel unequipped to effectively manage behavioral challenges. When proactive strategies are missing, children may repeatedly experience negative interactions, leading staff to feel they’ve exhausted all options. This can result in suspension or exclusion, further isolating the camper and reinforcing a cycle of unbelonging.

A more effective approach is to focus on why the behavior is occurring rather than just the behavior itself. All behavior serves a purpose; it communicates a need. Addressing that unmet need, instead of simply reacting to the behavior, creates pathways for successful participation.

Understanding Behavior: What It Really Means

Behavior is an observable action, not a reflection of attitude or intent. It often results from how a person feels, influenced by factors such as culture, age, prior experiences, and skillsets. For example, preschoolers might stomp their feet when upset simply because they lack the language to express frustration. For campers with intellectual or developmental disabilities, or those who are neurodivergent, communication challenges can further complicate this process.

All behavior has a purpose. Our goal is not to suppress the behavior but to find the underlying need and teach alternative ways for the child to express themselves. Key triggers for challenging behavior can include:

• Environment. Loud noise, crowded spaces
• Activities. Skills not aligning with tasks
• Physiological needs. Hunger, fatigue, illness
• Traits. Characteristics associated with a diagnosis
• People. Positive or negative influence of peers or staff

When all camp staff understand and consistently practice inclusive strategies, it strengthens a culture where all campers, including those with challenging behaviors, feel welcomed, supported, and engaged. Effective strategies include proactive steps taken before a camper starts, in-the-moment techniques to help manage difficult emotions, and best practices for guiding a positive reentry after a challenging experience — always with a focus on continued growth and success. Let’s explore each approach in detail.

Strategies for Inclusion

Effective inclusion strategies include implementing specific practices both before and during camp.

Preventative actions before camp begins:

• Collaborate with families. Take a team approach, setting clear expectations and maintaining open communication.
• Rethink intake processes. Think practical not clinical — ask about strengths, passions, talents, and suggested supports first, not just diagnoses, challenges, or listing past behaviors.
• Use visual tools. Incorporate visual schedules, social stories, and create and review expectations. These tools should be used consistently across all groups.
• Create predictable environments. Maintain routines, accommodate sensory needs, and use transition countdowns.

Day-to-day practices during camp:

• Use positive language. Focus on desired behaviors (e.g., “Walk, please” instead of “Stop running”).
• Celebrate success. Implement a “caught being good” system with a higher praise-to-correction ratio.
• Adopt a positive demeanor. Approach situations with empathy and curiosity, not assumptions or labels.
• Think flexibly. Offer choices, modify tasks, and adapt activities to meet all campers’ needs.
• Foster social connections. Start by valuing each camper’s strengths and passions, then encourage friendships based on mutual interests.

Fostering Social Connections Among Campers

This approach aligns with the principles of Social Role Valorization (SRV), which emphasizes recognizing and building upon an individual’s inherent strengths and gifts. SRV suggests that people with disabilities are more likely to experience social belonging and form friendships when they hold valued social roles. Enhancing a person’s positive social image, competencies, and skills can support these roles (Thomas, 2023). Visit socialrolevalorization.com/srv-theory-about-srv/srv-theory to learn more about SRV theory.

Follow-up best practices after behavioral incidents:

• Plan for reentry. Collaborate with families on strategies for successful return. Use a “sandwich approach”: Start with positive feedback, discuss the challenge, and close with encouragement.
• Maintain confidentiality. Honor privacy when sharing information with families, whether verbal, written, or electronic. Share behavioral details with camp staff on a need-to-know basis only.
• Avoid blame and shame. Focus on the antecedent and identify positive replacement behaviors instead.
• Work as a team. Tap into all resources available — previous camp staff, teachers, aides, current camp staff, parents, and most importantly, the camper — to brainstorm how to get to success.

Shifting the Culture: From “No, We Can’t” to “How Can We?”

Success in inclusion is not about avoiding challenges — it’s about embracing a mindset that every child can belong. By empowering staff with the right tools and strategies, camps can create environments where all campers feel valued, make friends, and fully participate.

Commit to inclusion. Commit to belonging. And commit to ensuring all campers thrive.

Making Inclusion Work: Carlos’s Story at Camp Sunshine

At Camp Sunshine, inclusion is more than a philosophy — it’s an intentional practice that ensures every camper feels supported, valued, and included. Ten-year-old Carlos is a perfect example of what inclusion in action can look like.

Carlos had been diagnosed with autism and oppositional defiant disorder. His parents approached Camp Sunshine with some hesitation; Carlos had been asked to leave two previous camps due to challenging behaviors, leaving them disheartened and unsure of whether he could have a positive camp experience. They described Carlos as a bright, kind-hearted child who thrived with the right accommodations. Their hope was for him to feel successful, make a friend, and finally have a summer camp experience he could enjoy.

Step 1: Building Relationships

From the first conversation with Carlos’s parents, the camp prioritized establishing a strong partnership. The intake process began with a person-centered approach. The camp staff asked detailed questions about Carlos’s strengths, interests, and past experiences. His parents shared that Carlos loved science experiments, had a great sense of humor, and often bonded over shared activities like building LEGO models or discussing space exploration.

During the intake, the camp staff avoided focusing solely on Carlos’s challenges. Instead, they explored his potential and the strategies that worked best for him. His parents suggested using a sensory kit with items such as noise-canceling headphones and stress balls to help Carlos self-regulate. They also emphasized the importance of clear visual schedules to reduce his anxiety about transitions.

Step 2: Preparing for Success

Before camp began, the staff arranged a meet-and-greet with Carlos and his family. They gave him a private tour to show him the spaces he’d be using and introduced him to a few key staff members. This visit allowed Carlos to familiarize himself with the environment and reduced the “newness” that could be overwhelming on the first day.

During the tour, staff emphasized their use of visual tools, such as visual schedules and camp expectation lists, to help campers understand what to expect. They also worked to make Carlos feel valued by asking about his favorite activities and letting him pick a few he was excited about.

Step 3: Setting the Stage for Friendship

To help Carlos connect with his peers, the camp staff facilitated small group activities based on shared interests. Knowing Carlos loved science, they paired him with another camper, Liam, who shared his curiosity about space. The two were encouraged to work together on building a model rocket for a camp-wide launch event. This common goal helped spark a natural friendship and gave Carlos a sense of belonging within his group.

Step 4: Responding to Challenges with Empathy

Despite the preparation, there were moments when Carlos struggled. On one occasion, he became frustrated during a team game and walked off the field, visibly upset. Rather than focusing on stopping the behavior, the staff took a “find the why” approach.

A trained counselor approached Carlos calmly, using positive language to help him feel safe. Through conversation, they discovered that he was frustrated because he didn’t understand the rules and felt overwhelmed by the fast pace of the game. The staff member validated Carlos’s feelings and offered an alternative — watching for a while and rejoining when he felt ready. They also made a note to modify the way instructions were communicated during similar activities, ensuring Carlos had a clearer understanding in the future.

Step 5: Empowering Self-Regulation

Carlos learned to use his sensory kit proactively, often asking for his headphones or taking breaks in a designated quiet zone. The staff praised him for advocating for himself, reinforcing that his needs were valid and important. Over time, Carlos needed fewer interventions as he began recognizing and managing his emotions more independently.

Step 6: Celebrating Growth

By the end of the summer, Carlos had not only participated in all camp activities, but had also formed a genuine friendship with Liam. His parents expressed their gratitude and shared that this was the first camp experience where Carlos felt he truly belonged.

Camp Sunshine’s intentional steps — fostering relationships, using individualized strategies, and emphasizing empathy — ensured that Carlos thrived. His story is a reminder that inclusive practices are not just about accommodating a camper’s needs; they’re about unlocking potential and creating a sense of belonging for every child.

Reference

Thomas, S. (2023, April). SRV theory. International Social Role Valorization Association. socialrolevalorization.com/srv-theory-about-srv/srv-theory

Lisa Drennan is the founder of MERGE Diverse Abilities Inclusion Consulting, specializing in staff training and expert consultation for recreation, camp, sport, and community organizations seeking to create more inclusive environments for people with diverse abilities. Learn more at: mergeconsulting.org | [email protected] | 781.724.1918