Creating inclusive learning environments

Practical guidance from KU Children’s Services' Sector Capacity Building Program on what to consider when planning or adapting your service environment to support all children’s needs.

29 August 2024

An educator sits next to a young child, who is playing with wooden toys sitting on a large cushion. They are sitting in a covered outdoor reading and play area, with an armchair, book display shelves and a round woven rug. — Image: When planning or modifying your learning environments, consider how the spaces can be set up to support children’s emotional regulation and sensory processing needs.

When setting up and re-setting indoor and outdoor learning environments at your service, it’s essential to look at your spaces through an inclusion lens.

As ACECQA (2018) states in its information sheet on the Environment as the ‘Third Teacher’ (PDF 1.2 MB):

In the approved learning frameworks, the concept of belonging is linked to a strong sense of identity. Physical environments play a major role in contributing to both identity and belonging.

Reflecting on your environment

When reflecting on your learning spaces, consider 2 of the key questions posed in the Approved Learning Frameworks:

Who is advantaged?
Who is disadvantaged?

To ensure spaces for play are inclusive for all children to participate in, it’s important that they are not only physically accessible for all children, but also that children feel a sense of belonging in that particular space within the environment.

We can start by looking at each learning space and making sure the way we set up each area is:

intentional – what do we want the children to experience/learn here? Do we provide what they need?

individualised – think about the needs of individuals and the group. Is information presented in different ways so all children can understand it?

inclusive – in this space are there many ways of learning and many ways of succeeding? Is there clear physical access? Are there visual supports? Are the children themselves reflected in this space? What does the environment feel like from a sensory perspective, for example, noise levels? Is it clear what options for play are appropriate in particular locations?

Supporting children’s emotional regulation and sensory processing needs

By understanding the emotional and sensory regulation needs of the children in your care, educators can provide experiences or help children to develop strategies that enable them to maintain an optimal level of calmness and focus, ready to learn and engage.

Setting up a calming space is one way we can help children to learn to self-regulate, using strategies for maintaining an optimal level of focus for learning and creating a feeling of security and comfort.

Children engage with these spaces most effectively when they have shared opportunities to plan, set up and modify the space. Seeking input from the children and, together, determining how the space is to be used can lead to a highly functional space in your service. Creating a calming space not only helps meet children’s social and emotional needs, but it can also play a role in decreasing behaviours that may challenge us.

Tips on creating calming spaces

Seek children’s input – develop a calming space with the children, using their ideas about what will help them to be calm.

Carefully choose the location – the space should be a part of the indoor/outdoor play environment, visible and accessible to all children at all times, and in view of educators to support adequate supervision.

Consider size – ensure the space is big enough for one adult and at least a couple of children to ensure safety and to co-regulate.

Prepare for success – determine with the children how the space is to be used.

Intentionally teach – show children how to use the space when they are calm.

Use visual supports – they can support children’s understanding of how to calm themselves.

Support use of the space – invite children to use the space if you can see early warning signs that they need help to regulate.

Critically reflect – review regularly as a team and with children and make changes to the space as needed.

Setting expectations using visual supports

When starting at your service, children may need a range of supports to understand what the expectations of the program are. When you’re settling multiple children, this can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task.

Visual supports can be useful for supporting all children’s understanding of life in early childhood education and care settings. Visual schedules, visual cue cards and visual play scaffolds are tools that not only support communication, but also:

allow children time to process verbal messages

prepare for transitions

build independence

reduce anxiety associated with separation and new situations.

A feature of high-quality learning environments is the responsiveness and engagement of the educators working in the space. Someone to guide, support and scaffold children’s learning and promote inclusion is integral.

A family day care educator reads to a child in a cosy wooden reading nook. — Image: Involve children in planning and setting up calming spaces at your service. Seek their ideas on what will help them feel safe, supported and a sense of belonging.

Inclusion support programs

NSW Department of Education Disability and Inclusion Program

For community preschools (including mobile preschools) receiving NSW Start Strong for Community Preschools funding.

The Disability and Inclusion Program provides funding and support to enable children with disabilities or additional needs in NSW Start Strong-funded community preschools to participate in a quality early childhood education program on the same basis as their peers.

It includes:

High Learning Support Needs Funding – to develop and deliver the child’s individual learning plan

Inclusive Environments Funding – for minor environmental modifications and specialised equipment or furniture

Sector Capacity Building Program – free training and support for staff in community preschools to implement inclusive education practices and enhance ongoing inclusion readiness

Early Childhood Inclusive Education Scholarships – for early childhood teachers to undertake a postgraduate qualification in Early Childhood Inclusive Education.

Australian Government Department of Education Inclusion Support Program

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) approved services that provide centre-based long day care, family day care and out of school hours care may be eligible for the Australian Government Inclusion Support Program.

The Inclusion Support Program aims to build the capacity and capability of educators to address participation barriers for all children through implementing quality inclusive practices.

The program offers free tailored inclusion advice and support, including access to equipment through the Specialist equipment library, to eligible ECEC services.

In NSW, the program is delivered by the NSW/ACT Inclusion Agency, which is managed by KU Children’s Services in partnership with Include Me and Gowrie NSW.

Relevant resources

KU Children’s Services Sector Capacity Building Program resources

NSW Department of Education

Early Childhood Inclusive Education webinar series, delivered by Special Teaching and Research (STaR)

ACECQA

Inclusive environments information sheet (PDF 7.8 MB)

‘Element 3.2.1: Inclusive environment’, Guide to the NQF

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) resources

Community Early Learning Australia (CELA)

Simple ways to promote inclusive play in any early learning environment

This article has been adapted from an article in Inclusive Ready News (Term 1 2023) and published with permission from KU Children’s Services. The KU Children’s Services Sector Capacity Building Program is funded by the department as part of the Disability and Inclusion Program.

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