At The Belle Center, we champion the interests of children with developmental delays and disabilities, as well as their families. Our three programs have a common goal: to reach every facet of our children’s lives so that they may be fully included in their communities. We provide a bright start in the young lives of children with developmental delays and disabilities…and enable them to reach their full potential!
The Belle Center promotes the rights and expectations of all children to be fully included in the community. The center provides a progressive, family-centered inclusive approach to education and community life that supports children with disabilities.
- Family-Centered Approach
Families are the primary decision makers with regard to their child’s learning experiences.
- Advocacy
Advocacy is powerful. It can cause positive changes in the lives of the children whose families practice it, as well as within larger circles of children and families in the community at large.
- Inclusion
Interactive learning experiences for children with and without special needs are beneficial for ALL participants.
- Collaboration
All persons designated by the family to provide support are valuable when working together in the best interest of the child and family. It is the combination of unique strengths and roles that forms the best foundation.
- Natural Environments
Families and children get support within, and relevant to, the places and activities that make up their lives.
A group of parents raising children with disabilities founded The Belle Center in 1984 in St. Louis. At the time, it was difficult for families to identify preschools that accepted young children with special needs—much less included them with their typical peers. The Belle Center is the first organization in the Midwest to provide a preschool in which children with and without disabilities could learn and play together.
Today, in addition to our inclusive preschool, The Belle Center's teachers and therapists support over 200 children daily in our Outreach Therapy Program throughout the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. We also provide classes and activities for families of children with disabilities through our Families as Partners Program.
This picture of two children playing together was drawn years ago by a former student named Austin. He attended our preschool with his friend, Matthew, who had a disability. After starting kindergarten, Austin missed Matthew so much that he drew this picture of himself and his friend playing together. It’s been our logo ever since.
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