Beverley
Smith NNEB, Operations Manager at Primary Steps, tells us why
the inclusion of children within schools and nurseries requires
a well-devised strategy. Beverley, who brings with her over 20-years
of both hands-on and managerial experience in the child-care sector,
is responsible for the day-to-day management of Primary Steps’
15 day nurseries. Primary Steps has one simple ambition - to maximise
the social and educational potential of each child attending its
nurseries.
At
Primary Steps we warmly welcome all children to our nurseries.
Inclusion is about a child’s right to be integrated into
society and to be valued for who he/she is. Inclusion, handled
correctly, will achieve a positive response to the diverse needs
of all concerned. It however requires a well thought out strategy
as it is only beneficial if the integration is approached in a
positive and adaptable manner with the child’s and parents’
or carers’ needs at the centre.
For inclusion to work, commitment is required from the entire
nursery/school team alongside the parents and child and should
include the full diversity of the environment. The involvement
of parents or carers is vitally important as this additional source
of information leads to empowerment as well as an awareness and
ability to see the wider picture. This then ensures that the child’s
requirements are met.
Inclusion allows the child and parents to express their views
openly. This will lead to a positive self image which enables
the child to grow in the presence of his/her peers and to experience
opportunities that only ‘mainstream’ can offer. In
turn, this enables the families to interact and grow in a positive
manner, allowing the child to see the wider world and therefore
avoid the isolation which could otherwise occur.
Inclusion
however does not suit all children and each child’s requirements
must be taken into account, to ensure that people do not fall
into the dangerous thinking that inclusion is best for all.
In order to become inclusive, nurseries and schools need to approach
and identify the barriers within their environment, such as teaching
and learning strategies, attitudes, organisation and management
issues that prevent the full participation of all children.
All mainstream establishments that wish to adopt an inclusion
policy should address the following points:
•
Need for organised training for nursery/school staff in order
to get acquainted with the inclusive methodology, technology and
learning strategies in the nursery or school.
• Provision of specific teaching materials as well as adaptation
of premises.
• Need for coordination of specialists in the team to provide
support to the parents of a child who is to be integrated.
• Full participation of the child when organising activities
related to inclusive practice.
• To inform the child’s peers and their parents about
the need and the importance of their participation in the process
of inclusion and creation of climate for its implementation.
Each nursery/school must also take into account the needs of the
other children who use the establishment as inclusion could lead
to problems for them as well. All children should be supported
and have the chance to express their views and concerns in both
a closed and open forum, as growth and acceptance requires answers
and explanations.
Inclusion
is a positive and beneficial approach to integration and learning,
as all children involved learn value, respect, the ability to
treat everyone as an individual and the fact that everyone has
equal rights and responsibilities which together leads to self
worth.
