Early Years: Every Child Must be Included

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When working as a practitioner within early years it is important to remember the individual responsibility as a practitioner concerning equality of opportunities for children. It is therefore my responsibility as the provider to ensure that the setting has an effective equal opportunities and inclusion policy (see appendix 2), ensuring staff have the appropriate training to ascertain the equality of opportunities that are made available and support is in place for children with additional needs to include learning difficulties and disabilities. ‘The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 amended the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to make unjustified discrimination by education providers against disable pupil, students and adult learners unlawful. The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 took things further, giving most public authorities a positive duty to promote disability equality’. (Direct Government UK, 2010). From the research and documentation I have examined the word ‘special’ continues to be used when mentioning children with disabilities. In our society today there is a vast range of learning difficulties and disabilities amongst children, young people and adults. I regard the children within our setting as having ‘additional’ needs and think this is an enhanced language to be using in our current environment. When working as a practitioner within early years it is important to remember the individual responsibility concerning equality of opportunities for children as well as forming relationships between the child’s parents, I believe it is imperative and essential for the development and progress of every child to enable all children are included within the setting. ‘Inclusion is the practice of inclu... ... middle of paper ... ...ty to ensure positive attitudes to diversity and difference – not only so that every child is included and not disadvantaged, but also so that they learn from the earliest age to value diversity in others and grow up making a positive contribution to society.’ (Great Britain. Department for children, schools and families, 2007, p.9). On-going training and development within my setting has supported practitioners to enable them to demonstrate an effective practice by using their knowledge and skills to guarantee the principles are met and the families are supported for their individual needs. Raising the profile of children and recognising how important the early year’s are within our setting has shown outstanding qualities throughout the team, this has been shown through the children outcomes in which we have been praised from all of our parents over the years.

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