A unique child Inclusion: A pro-active approach

Being the first to achieve Trafford's new Inclusion Stamp has been a huge confidence boost for Woodlands Day Nursery. Manager Julie Singleton feels the stamp gives recognition to the high quality of inclusive practice that the nursery prides itself on, and is particularly important for communicating this to parents. The process of achieving the stamp has also made the nursery team think closely about how that practice can continue to evolve.

'We work very closely with Trafford Sure Start and when we heard about the stamp, everyone wanted to get involved with it as early as possible,' says Ms Singleton.

According to Trafford's inclusion officer, Nancy Samuels, the impetus came about through listening to parents. 'They told us they wanted something they could immediately recognise, in the form of a symbol, that told them a setting would be responsive to their needs,' she says.

Ms Samuels stresses that it is about more than highlighting how a setting can accommodate disabled children. 'Some were already indicating this, but a lot of parents also wanted to know about things like English as an additional language. Parents want to know that a nursery's environment is welcoming and friendly to all children, whether they are disabled or non-disabled.'

MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT

To achieve the stamp, Woodlands completed a comprehensive access audit, providing evidence on its commitment to inclusion. It had to highlight clear policies and procedures to show how inclusion is achieved, while having processes in place for monitoring, evaluating and reflecting on practice.

As part of this process many of the staff undertook training, in the sign language system Signalong and in areas such as intimate care and equal opportunities.

'It was always important to us that the building itself was accessible,' says Ms Singleton. 'When we moved here last year we had doors widened and disabled toilets installed, and ensured the car park is flat and level.'

But she emphasises that she and the staff have thought beyond these kinds of adjustments.

'Undertaking the stamp really impressed on us that inclusion is about flexibility and creative thinking, as much as it is about practical issues,' she says.

Listening to parents' needs is always a top priority.

'The stamp has encouraged us to be more pro-active in finding out about what parents want,' she says. 'We need to have a complete understanding of a child's circumstance to ensure that they are fully included in all of the nursery's activities.'

She cites the example of a toddler who recently had both legs in plaster casts. 'We brought everything down to her level and there were certain activities that she was able to do at the table, rather than on the floor. It was fun and it worked really well.'

Ms Singleton emphasises that effective inclusion often is simply a matter of preparation and effective communication.

'It's about thinking laterally - identifying barriers and then finding ways around them,' she says. 'Sometimes it comes down to very simple things like communicating with a parent by text or e-mail to ensure that their child's needs are met.'

AS A TEAM

Assistant manager Kerry Loftus says she found the 'intimate care' part of the training particularly useful and thought-provoking.

'Intimate care is not just about nappy training and toilet routines,' she says. 'Essentially, it is everything to do with the child, from brushing their hair to helping them put their coat on. We began to think about how these activities could be positive and inclusive for all the children in our setting.'

For Ms Loftus, one of the big advantages of going through the process of achieving the stamp was the opportunities that it provided them to work as a team.

'It is much better to do it this way rather than individually,' she says. 'You can reflect on the feedback from everyone and jointly decide on the best approach. People may have different ideas, but they are being given the same information, at the same point in time.'

Ms Loftus thinks the Inclusion Stamp deserves to become a national scheme. 'People are aware of the term "equal opportunities", but they need to explore exactly what it means. Going through the process of achieving the stamp enables them to think more deeply about what inclusion means for their setting and to find flexible ways to make it work.'

According to Nancy Samuels, that also means thinking about attitude. She says, 'Attitudinal training is vitally important to ensure that nurseries cultivate a truly inclusive ethos.'