Inclusion in Early Childhood Education

Running head: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
NSW Australia Early Childhood Education: Supporting Inclusion in Early Childhood
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Introduction
Early Childhood Education is not compulsory in Australia and is delivered to the
children under a range of different healthcare settings like children centres, pre-schools in the
year from the child is ready for full-time schooling (Australian Government, 2019). Early
childhood education services in New South Wales (NSW) are governed by the Early
Childhood Education directorate (ECED). The strategic priorities of ECED are promotion of
universal access to the early childhood education, increase in the sustainability in the
childhood education, improvement in the learning environments while supporting the diverse
needs of the children under uniform learning and educational focus (NSW Government,
2019). The following essay aims to analyse the importance of inclusion of the disabled
children or special child from birth to 5 years under early childhood educational settings. This
will be followed by critiquing the strength-based approach in order to support the inclusion.
At the end the essay will discuss the role and importance of using effective team-based
approach in supporting the inclusion and its importance.
Inclusive education
An education system that includes all the students and also supports and welcomes
them to learn irrespective of their abilities or academic requirements is known as inclusive
educational system. One of the goals of the inclusion system is to design the curriculum,
classroom, toilets and play areas in such a way that they are compatible for all the children at
all levels. In general inclusive education means facilitation of learning of all the children in
the same classroom irrespective of their mental and physical development (UNICEF, 2017).

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Role and importance of supporting inclusion of all children in early childhood
educational settings
Inclusive education holds prime importance under the early childhood development
(UNICEF, 2017). Hornby (2015) stated that inclusive educational system helps in improving
the learning abilities of all the children both with and without disabilities. Inclusive education
also helps in promoting a better understanding of the children mental through process while
reducing the prejudice and strengthening the social integration system. Inclusive education
also makes sure that children with disabilities are equipped to work and to contribute
economically and thus helping them to socialize within the community (UNICEF, 2017).
Figure: Importance of inclusive education
(Source: UNICEF, 2017)
The main role of the inclusive education under early childhood setting is guided by
human rights. According to the basic human right, it is the right of every child to get proper
education and academic support irrespective of his or her mental or physical health status.
Getting proper access to reduction as per the human right helps in realization of other basic

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rights. The main requirement of the inclusive educational settings like decrease in the
discrimination among then children, promoting of best interest of the child, accepting the
right of the child to be heard, restriction against the child violence. Other requirement of the
inclusive education includes increasing the opportunity for life within the community,
increasing access to healthcare and rehabilitation. The promotion of the inclusive educational
system helps in increasing the participation of the special child in the normal public life when
they attend schools. It also helps them to increase their provision for the work and
environment while sharing the adequate standards of living (UNICEF, 2017).
Figure: Requirement of inclusive education
(Source: UNICEF, 2017)
West, Novak and Mueller (2016) stated that deviations from average mental ability
and physical health of human begins beyond limits results in substantial and appreciable