Nursery World - Thinking it through

Practitioners must consider whether a mainstream or special setting is best for a particular child on an individual basis, says Valerie Driscoll The feasibility of including children with special education needs into mainstream settings is something I had to consider recently in my role as an under-fives education worker.

The feasibility of including children with special education needs into mainstream settings is something I had to consider recently in my role as an under-fives education worker.

Fortune Park Early Years Centre in London is a mainstream setting that is fully inclusive of children with SEN. As part my work there I have been involved in the process of integrating into our mainstream provision a three-year-old old girl who has a physical disability. Diane currently attends a special school, where education is offered to GCSE level, and will begin the process of inclusion next term.

While I have always been an advocate of integration, being involved in the inclusion of this child has meant that I have had to consider and take on board the positions and reservations of other people.

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