Inclusion in early childhood - free resources and professional learning

Access, participation and positive outcomes: Inclusion in early childhood is a free resource for educators at every stage of their career.

The collection includes:

collection of online self-paced professional learning courses
series of short animations in accessible language
12-episode podcast series
set of downloadable e-books with practical approaches to supporting children’s development.

The resource is a curated collection of innovative online professional learning resources to support inclusive practices in early childhood education and care settings. This collection of free resources aims to support increased knowledge, skills and confidence in the inclusion of children with a diagnosed disability, but also children with other factors that may affect their general wellbeing and engagement in early learning, such as:

cultural and linguistic diversity
dysregulation and maladaptive behaviours
anxiety and trauma
children experiencing diminished wellbeing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
vulnerable or at-risk children.

Downloadable e-books

Creating and sustaining great relationships is at the heart of social and emotional development. This e-book will guide you to support children to flourish in their social and emotional development through practice examples.

Using our senses provides children and young people with six different ways to learn about the world around them. This e-book provides examples of how you can support and guide children to use their senses.

Language development is the journey we go on as we learn to communicate with those around us. This e-book aims to support your understanding of how to invite early language development through modelling, storytelling and how to create language-rich environments for children to thrive.

Cognitive reasoning is our ability to investigate or make sense of ideas, thoughts and information around us. Exploring creative, critical and playful thinking, you will be supported to understand how to help cognitive reasoning thrive in the children we play alongside.

Online learning on inclusion in early childhood education

Explore the collection of online learning courses designed as part of the Access, participation and positive outcomes: Inclusion in early childhood program. All of these online courses are free to all early childhood educators. To access these free courses you will need to “purchase” them from the ECA shop. If you are an ECA Learning Hub subscriber, these online courses are already available to you through your LMS. Contact us if you need assistance accessing these free courses.

Introducing inclusion: Looking at diversity and adversity through an inclusive framework

Every child has the right to both feel included and be included. Educators play a vital role in ensuring that…

Being the champion for children who are impacted by trauma and adversity

Children who experience trauma can have their sense of belonging and identity impacted. For some, this impact can be lifelong….

Making connections with neurodiverse children through play (2-part series)

This series is suitable for all educators currently working in an approved education and care setting across Australia. This is…

Understanding young children’s behaviour and empowering their future (2-part series)

This series is suitable for all educators currently working in an approved education and care setting across Australia. This is…

Big life events: Impacts on children, families and communities

In this course, you will explore a range of big life events that commonly impact children, along with their families…

Fostering trusting relationships to support children with anxiety

In the early years of life, many children experience anxiety. There are different reasons as to why this may occur….

Every child has a right to be included

This course is aimed to assist educators in developing their understanding of what it means to support Aboriginal children to…

Creating a community of support for children and families experiencing vulnerability

This course is suitable for all educators currently working in an approved education and care setting across Australia. This is…

Animations

The animations in this series aim to guide and support educators beginning their journey into early childhood education and care, and to act as a helpful resource for managers and leaders who are supporting early career educators. The animations seek to assist educators with their core knowledge of early childhood, by illustrating some basic concepts about being with children in respectful and responsive ways.

Click the video above to watch the first animation or click here to access a playlist containing all six animations.

Each animation illustrates core practices and may help as educators navigate the beginning of their career, and provide some examples of how they might develop their own practices.

There are six animations included in this resource:

Being present and in tune with children
Respectful nappy routines
Transitions and relationships
Active supervision
Meal times
Creating an environment to foster play

ECA Podcast

Series 2 in the ECA Podcast has been tailored to strengthen the way early childhood educators understand different aspects of inclusion. Australia is rich with diverse families and children that make up our society. Educators play a critical role in supporting those who have historically been seen as less than able or not as capable due to their differences. This podcast series focuses on inclusion for children and families with diverse needs in education and care settings. New episodes will be available weekly.

Join podcast co-hosts Janet Williams-Smith and Shae Haylen, with special guests, as they draw on experiences and professional perspectives on some of the key obstacles educators face around embedding inclusion in the early childhood education and care sector.

The ECA podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Cast and anywhere you listen to podcasts.