Autism daycare in Denver: programs that take autistic kids, and how ABA can come to daycare
At least seven Denver-area child care programs say on their own websites that they take children with disabilities. Only one explains how your child's own therapist can come in.
Budding Futures ABA provides in-home ABA across Colorado, and can run sessions at daycare when the program agrees.
Denver-area programs we checked explains on its site how a family's own therapist can join a child in class. None uses the term ABA.
- Private daycares can't exclude a child just for having a disability (ADA).
- Seven Denver-area programs say on their sites that they include kids with disabilities.
- Only Bal Swan in Broomfield has a written process for outside therapists.
- Ages 3 to 5: DPS Child Find evaluates for free, and Universal Preschool pays for IEP hours.
- Budding Futures brings ABA to daycare when the director agrees.
Published October 17, 2026 by the Budding Futures team. Updated October 18, 2026. Every program and agency was read on its own website. None is affiliated with Budding Futures. Call a program to confirm openings.
Denver daycares and preschools that take autistic kids, checked one by one
Seven programs in and around Denver say on their own websites that they take children with disabilities.
We read each program's own site. We left out anything we could only find in a directory.
We also left out ABA clinics, because a clinic isn't a daycare.
The table is the quick view. The cards below have each program's address, phone, hours and own words.
| Program | Area | Ages | What its own site says | Outside therapists on site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Rise School of Denver | Denver, near Eastman Ave | 12 months to 5 | "with and without developmental disabilities" | Not stated. Rise has its own therapists. |
| Sewall Child Development Center | Denver, Fillmore St | Birth to 6 | "of all abilities" | Not stated |
| Clayton Early Learning | Denver, MLK Blvd | Birth to 5 | Coordinates "all disability services," including IEPs | Not stated |
| Mile High Early Learning | Six Denver centers | 6 weeks to 5 | 58 children with special needs got IEP or IFSP services (2021-2022) | Not stated |
| Catholic Charities Child Development Center | Denver, Decatur St | 6 weeks to 5 | "commitment to inclusive education" | Says it works "closely with therapists" |
| Bal Swan Children's Center | Broomfield | About 2.5 to Jr. K | "fully inclusive" classrooms | Yes. Consent form and written agreement |
| Creative Options (Ability Connection Colorado) | Denver and Aurora | 6 weeks to 5 | "Children of all abilities" | Not stated |
The seven programs, in their own words
The Rise School of Denver
"The Rise School is an inclusive non-profit preschool, serving children 12 months to five years with and without developmental disabilities."
Its staff includes speech, occupational and physical therapists and a "Play-based behavior analyst."
Sewall Child Development Center
"Sewall provides early education and therapeutic supports for young children (birth through 6 years) of all abilities through a continuum of programs."
Parts of its site are years old, so call to confirm openings.
Clayton Early Learning
"Clayton Early Learning believes that ALL children bring value to the classroom."
Most seats are Early Head Start and Head Start, plus "a limited number of private-pay preschool openings for children ages 3 to 5."
Mile High Early Learning
In 2021-2022, "of the 58 children identified with special needs, all received services through an Individualized Education Plan or Individualized Family Service Plan."
It accepts families with CCCAP child care help.
Catholic Charities Child Development Center
"The center works closely with therapists to ensure that every child, regardless of their abilities, receives the support they need to thrive."
Its early childhood page lists child care assistance, the Denver Preschool Program and Universal Preschool.
Bal Swan Children's Center
"All Bal Swan classrooms are fully inclusive and are staffed by two teachers."
The only program here with a written process for a family's own therapist to come in.
Creative Options for Early Childhood Education
"Children of all abilities and economic circumstances learn and thrive at all five (5) locations of Creative Options for Early Childhood Education throughout Aurora and Denver."
Its 2026-2027 family handbook lists preschool at $225 a week.
Openings, hours and prices change. Call before you visit, and bring the questions further down this page.
Can a daycare in Denver turn away an autistic child? What the ADA says
Usually, no. A private daycare can't turn your child away just for having a disability, including autism.
Centers cannot exclude children with disabilities from their programs unless their presence would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others or require a fundamental alteration of the program.
The center has to look at your child as a person, not a label.
It can't decide based on stereotypes about what disabled kids can or can't do.
The rules in plain words
- Private daycares must follow the ADA.
- Centers run by a church, mosque or synagogue are the exception.
- Centers must make reasonable changes to include your child.
- If a one-on-one helper is provided at no cost to the center, needing one-on-one care alone isn't a reason to say no.
- Putting disabled kids in a separate room isn't allowed.
One honest limit: the ADA page never mentions autism, ABA or outside therapists. It doesn't say a daycare must let your ABA therapist in.
Being asked to leave happens
In one study of 203 autistic children, parents said 16% had been expelled from a preschool or daycare.
Private programs expelled more often than public ones.
Colorado requires every child care program to have a clear behavior policy. Ask for it in writing before you enroll.
Read more: the ADA rules and the study, word for word
| Question | What ADA.gov says |
|---|---|
| Private daycares? | "Privately-run child care centers... must comply with title III of the ADA." |
| Church-run centers? | "The exception is child care centers that are actually run by religious entities such as churches, mosques, or synagogues." |
| Changes? | They "have to make reasonable modifications to their policies and practices" unless it would be a fundamental alteration. |
| One-on-one help? | If a personal assistant is "provided at no cost to the child care center (usually by the parents or through a government program), the child cannot be excluded from the program solely because of the need for one-to-one care." |
| Separate rooms? | "Segregating children with disabilities is not acceptable under the ADA." |
The center must make "an individualized assessment about whether it can meet the particular needs of the child," and "must not react to unfounded preconceptions or stereotypes about what children with disabilities can or cannot do." It should talk with the parents and "any other professionals (such as educators or health care professionals) who work with the child."
The study in the journal Exceptional Children asked the parents of 203 autistic children, ages 4 to 7. By parent report, 16% of the children, one out of six, had been expelled from a preschool or child care program before elementary school. The average age was 3.3 years, and children "were more likely to be expelled from private versus public programs."
Colorado Shines: "All child care programs are required to have clear behavior policies." The state child care complaint line is 1.800.799.5876.
Can an ABA therapist come to daycare? How it works
Often yes, if the daycare agrees.
Daycare is where circle time, sharing, lining up and lunch with other kids happen.
For a toddler, that makes it a natural place to practice those skills. Applied behavior analysis isn't tied to a clinic.
Budding Futures runs ABA therapy inside daycares and preschools in Colorado when the program says yes. Here's how it usually goes.
- We ask first. We talk to the director and agree on ground rules. One trained registered behavior technician (RBT) works quietly beside your child.
- The paperwork. Some programs have their own forms and insurance rules.
- Therapy fits the daycare day. Drop-off, free play, circle, meals and transitions.
- A BCBA oversees it. Rachel Blackburn, BCBA, our Clinical Director, reviews every treatment plan.
- Home and daycare share one care plan. Group goals at daycare, routines and parent coaching at home.
When the director says no
That's their right.
We build the same goals at home with parent coaching, and try the conversation again later.
Read more: how Denver-area programs handle outside therapy
Bal Swan asks parents to sign an "Outside Providers Parental Consent Form," asks therapists to sign a memorandum of understanding, and asks for "a copy of your Liability Insurance Policy."
Warren Village says it "partners with the Colorado Center for Pediatric Learning and Development (CCPLD) that provides on-site occupational, physical and speech therapy for children."
Our BCBA supervision runs at about 20% of therapy hours, four times the minimum the field requires.
Daycare, inclusive preschool or center-based ABA? Comparing options in the Denver metro area
Most families weigh four options, and many mix two.
| Option | Your child's day | Good fit when | Know this |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daycare or preschool, plus ABA | A day with typical peers. ABA at home in the evening, or at daycare if the director agrees. | Your child can manage a group with some support, and you need full-day care. | Ask about outside therapists before you enroll. This is how Budding Futures works, with no waitlist. |
| Inclusive preschool | Kids with and without disabilities learn together, often with therapists on staff. | You want therapy and peers in one place. | Seats are limited. Rise, Sewall and Bal Swan describe themselves this way. |
| Public preschool with an IEP | Your school district provides special education preschool hours. | Your child qualifies through Child Find. | Free if eligible. In Aurora, your district may be Aurora Public Schools or Cherry Creek. |
| Center-based ABA therapy | Several hours a day at an ABA clinic, instead of or alongside daycare. | Your child needs many therapy hours in a structured setting. | Some centers use the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). Budding Futures doesn't run a center or provide ESDM. |
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction: a parent and teachers on inclusive early childhood classrooms (6 min)
Questions that matter in any setting
Ask who writes the plan, and how often a Board Certified Behavior Analyst sees your child.
Ask whether speech or occupational therapists already visit.
Trained staff who understand your child's needs matter more than the sign on the door.
Read more: paying for ABA in any setting
Health First Colorado covers ABA therapy for children when it's medically necessary, including for children on a waiver such as the Children's Extensive Support (CES) waiver. Most private plans cover it too.
Private insurance usually needs an autism diagnosis or a diagnostic evaluation report first. Some children also have ADHD or other behavioral needs, which a good plan takes into account, whether a program calls it autism therapy, autism services or inclusion. School-age children often add before- and after-school care to the mix.
Questions to ask a Denver daycare before you enroll your autistic child
Ask these before you sign anything.
- Can I see your behavior policy? Look for what happens after a meltdown, and whether "sent home" comes first or last.
- Have you cared for children with autism before? Ask what worked and what didn't.
- Is there a quiet, sensory-friendly spot? A calm corner helps after a loud morning.
- Can my child's therapist come here? Ask about forms, agreements and insurance rules.
- How many adults are in the room? Bal Swan, for one, has two teachers per classroom.
- How do you handle toileting, naps and food? That's where routines most often break down.
- Will you share notes with our care team? Short daily notes help a lot.
- Do you take CCCAP, the Denver Preschool Program or Universal Preschool? Most sites don't say.
Paying for daycare and preschool in Denver: CCCAP, DPP and Universal Preschool
Four public programs can lower the cost of daycare or preschool.
- CCCAP: helps lower-income families pay for child care. Counties run it, and some have a waiting list.
- Universal Preschool: 15 free hours a week of preschool in the year before kindergarten.
- Universal Preschool with an IEP: pays for the preschool hours in your child's IEP, starting as young as 3.
- Denver Preschool Program: tuition help for Denver 4-year-olds and many 3-year-olds.
ABA is paid for separately from daycare.
With Health First Colorado (Medicaid), ABA with Budding Futures usually costs $0. Private insurance depends on your plan.
Read more: the programs in their own words
CCCAP: counties must help families at "185% or less of the federal poverty guideline," and your county "may be on a waiting list or have frozen new enrollment."
Universal Preschool: "15 hours of tuition-free, high-quality preschool in their year before kindergarten." With an IEP it pays "for the number of hours of school indicated on their IEP," and services can be in "private or community-based programs" when the IEP team agrees.
Denver Preschool Program: "All Denver families with 4-year olds and many with 3-year-olds can lower your preschool costs with DPP tuition support, regardless of income, neighborhood, or immigration status."
Free evaluations for young children in Denver: Early Intervention and Child Find
Two free public programs can evaluate your child. No doctor's referral needed.
- Under 3: Early Intervention Colorado, 833-733-3734. Anyone can refer, including you.
- Ages 3 to 5 in Denver: DPS Child Find, 720-423-1410 or childfind@dpsk12.net. No cost.
Your daycare can refer your child too.
An IEP from Child Find can unlock free Universal Preschool hours.
For children under 5, see early intervention ABA therapy in Denver.
Read more: what DPS Child Find says
"Screenings, evaluations, and school-based services for eligible children are all available at no cost to the family."
Referrals "can be from any source," including "community-based childcare programs." Parent involvement is still required for the evaluation.
Where Budding Futures fits, and where it does not
We're not a daycare. We bring ABA to your child: at home, at daycare, or at preschool when it agrees.
None of the programs on this page is connected to us.
For working parents and caregivers, that can mean daycare sessions during the day, or home sessions in the evening until 8 PM or on weekends.
We serve children from 18 months to 18 years. Read about in-home ABA therapy in Denver.
Questions parents ask about autism and daycare in Denver
Do daycares take kids with autism?
Can a daycare kick out an autistic child?
Is there a special needs daycare in Denver?
Can my child's ABA therapist come to daycare?
Does Universal Preschool cover children with an IEP?
What if the daycare says no to an outside therapist?
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice. Commonly Asked Questions about Child Care Centers and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Last updated February 28, 2020.
- Preschool and Child-Care Expulsion: Is it Elevated for Autistic Children? Exceptional Children, published online 2022. Abstract read; parent-reported data on 203 children.
- Colorado Shines. Home and Preventing Suspensions and Expulsions.
- Colorado Department of Early Childhood. CCCAP for families, Universal Preschool Colorado, Universal Preschool and Special Education.
- Denver Preschool Program, dpp.org. Denver Public Schools, Child Find. Early Intervention Colorado, eicolorado.org.
- Program websites, read October 17, 2026: The Rise School of Denver, Sewall, Clayton Early Learning, Mile High Early Learning, Catholic Charities, Bal Swan, Ability Connection Colorado, Warren Village.
Want ABA to fit around daycare?
Tell us your child's age and where they spend the day. We'll explain how the daycare conversation works, and whether home, daycare or both fits your week.
- Every plan is written and supervised by a BCBA
- No waitlist, and we verify your benefits free before anything starts
- Health First Colorado (Medicaid)
- Aetna
- Cigna
- UnitedHealthcare
- Anthem BCBS
- TRICARE