Disability and Inclusion Resource Platform
Delivered under the Disability and Inclusion program, the Sector Capacity Building program connects community preschools with specialist early childhood intervention services.
This resource platform has links to practical resources and relevant legislation and standards that focus on disability and inclusion in early childhood education.
The section on helpful websites has links to organisations providing support and information on disability and inclusion, and the research section provides further reading from journals and specialist studies.
Practical resources
The following are practical resources targeted at early childhood educators and services supporting children with disability and additional needs.
Early Childhood Educator Communication Package
Topic: Childhood communication
On this website you will find many resources to assist you in understanding the communication ability of children in the early years. It has helpful information about what you would expect to see at each age, as well as strategies for language development.
Key Word Sign Australia | Scope Australia
Topic: Childhood communication
Key word signing uses a core vocabulary of specially selected words that include concepts and ideas considered to be the most appropriate for children with communication and language difficulties. They have a collection of free of resources available to download on the subjects; access and inclusion, communication, health and wellbeing.
The Raising Children Network - Social Stories
Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder – Social Stories
The Raising Children Network shows how Carol Cray's Social Stories helps explain social situations to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using a narrative to illustrate a context and the appropriate behaviour. It covers many other topics including; safety, development, play, learning, connecting and communicating.
Carol Gray's website is included available at this link: Social Stories - Carol Gray
Social stories were founded by Carol Gray in 1991 and have been used by early childhood educators for decades. Her website includes sample social stories relating to safety, tragedies, discovery of self and others, and advanced concepts likes stereotypes and resilience.
Early Childhood Australia - Supporting Children's Self-regulation
Topic: Self-regulation
This module is suitable for educators supporting a child’s self-regulation development between 3 – 5 years, and focuses on how to help children learn to manage their own attention, emotion, thinking, and behaviour.
Understanding behaviour: supporting children with autism spectrum disorder
Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder
This Early Childhood Australia Learning Hub module offers training for educators to help support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). You will gain an understanding of certain behaviours and why they occur, developmental differences in children with ASD and proactive strategies to support positive behaviour.
Sue Larkey’s tip sheets for teaching children with autism spectrum disorder
Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder
On this site you will find Sue Larkey’s compilation of facts sheets to help teachers, carers and professionals support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She shares strategies for teaching, promoting and understanding behaviour, social skills and the early years. You will also find links to online training courses and face-to-face workshops with Sue.
The Zones of Regulation – distance learning resources
Topic: Supporting distance learning
The Zones of Regulation provides resources for teachers, practitioners, care-givers to help navigate challenges and deliver distance learning to children. On this site you will find videos, downloadable handouts, live and recorded Q&A sessions.
Speech Pathology Australia - fact sheets
Topic: Speech and language
Speech Pathology Australia is the national peak body for speech pathology in Australia. Here you will find a range of fact sheets that you can use to support children with communication difficulties. These include; speaking, stuttering, swallowing, literacy and using voice.
Topic: Early childhood resources
Find early childhood education resources which aim to support educators, children and families, and are aligned to the seven quality areas of the National Quality Standards.
Trauma-aware early childhood education and care
Topic: Trauma-aware practice
This book by Judith Howard is available to purchase and provides strategies to help early childhood professionals address trauma in their practice. The book examines the extent, effects and intergenerational transmissions of complex childhood trauma.
Relevant legislation and standards
In NSW and Australia, disability and inclusion in early childhood education is governed by many acts and standards. Click on the links below for further information.
Disability and Inclusion Act 2014
This act related to the accessibility of mainstream services and facilities, the promotion of community inclusion and the provision of funding, support and services for people with disability.
Disability Discrimination Act 1992
The Disability Discrimination Act implements Australia’s international human rights obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as obligations relating to non-discrimination under other treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The act protects people with disability against discrimination.
The Disability Standards for Education 2005
The Disability Standards for Education 2005 clarify the obligations of education and training providers, and seek to ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.
National Partnership on Universal Access
NSW is a party to the 2018-19 National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access which supports universal access to, and improved participation by children in, quality early childhood education in the year before full-time school. The agreement has a focus on vulnerable and disadvantaged children and details how the Australian Government distributes funding for early childhood education to the States and Territories.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
The NDIS Act established the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), the independent statutory agency responsible for administering the NDIS. The act aims to support the independence and social and economic participation of people with disability as well as providing reasonable and necessary supports, including early intervention supports, for participants.
Research and journals
Transition of children with disabilities into early childhood education and care centres
This paper reports on findings from research which sought to understand, in the New South Wales (NSW) context, the factors impacting on the transition into early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres for children with disabilities from the perspective of both parents of children with disabilities and educators in ECEC centres.
International Research in Early Childhood Education (IRECE) Journal
The journal of International Research in Early Childhood Education (IRECE) is an electronic peer-reviewed journal designed to provide an international forum for scholarship and research within the field of early childhood education.
Australasian Journal of Early Childhood (AJEC) Early Childhood Australia
The Australasian Journal of Early Childhood (AJEC) is Australasia’s foremost scholarly journal and the world’s longest-running major journal within the early childhood sector. AJEC offers research-based articles that are designed to impart new information and encourage the critical exchange of ideas among early childhood practitioners, academics and students.
Early childhood, family support and health care services: An evidence review
This paper by Tim Moore, a developmental psychologist, reviews and synthesises research on many topics relating to child development, family functioning and service systems. His work has had a significant impact on practice and policy in early childhood intervention nationally and internationally.
The State of the World’s Children 2013 – Children with Disabilities
Each year, UNICEF’s flagship publication, The State of the World's Children, closely examines a key issue affecting children. The State of the Word’s Children website includes digital versions of report component such as supporting data, statistics and stories in addition to online only features.
Inclusive Schools in Action: Making Differences Ordinary
The nuts and bolts of creating an inclusive school is here, in Inclusive Schools in Action: Making Differences Ordinary. The authors share their wisdom and practical advice after successfully integrating inclusion into 50 schools. Use their framework, developed from their experiences in the field, to better meet the academic and social needs of all your students.
Towards inclusive education: A necessary process of transformation
This evidence review by Dr Kathy Cologon from Macquarie University provides an extensive systematic literature review of inclusive education . It examines evidence across six decades and incorporates more than 400 research papers, relevant treaties and reports, to further explore the existing barriers and the possibilities for addressing these to bring about the realisation of inclusive education.
Helpful websites
The following organisations provide resources and supports for disability and additional needs inclusion in early childhood education.
Lifestart - Disability and Inclusion program
Lifestart supports children and young people living with disability or developmental delay, their families and carers.
Funded by the NSW Department of Education, Lifestart supports services through the Disability and Inclusion program by assisting directors and educators at community-based preschools to gain a greater understanding of early intervention.
Aruma - Children's Disability Services
Aruma (formerly House with No Steps) provides an Early Childhood Intervention Service for children with disability and additional needs. They support community preschools with active assistance, accessing the department's Disability and Inclusion program funding, and a host of other support activities.
The Raising Children Network - children with disability
The Raising Children Network is an Australian parenting site with a range of disability and inclusion focused resources. You will find sections on guides, support services, NDIS, rights and laws, school and family life, and more.
The Early Connections Alliance is a collaborative network of four not for profit community based organisations on the Mid North Coast. Providing an early childhood intervention including specialised support and services for infants and young children who have developmental delays or disabilities, their families and communities, in order to promote development, well-being and community participation.
KU Children's Service - disability and inclusion support
KU Children's Services has been delivering early childhood education and care since 1895, and currently operates around 140 children’s services. KU operate early childhood intervention services, and have a wealth of experience with inclusion and disability support in early childhood education.
Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)
Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is Australia’s largest autism-specific service provider, with one of the biggest autism-specific school programs in the world. They provide support services for preschools through their early childhood intervention programs as well as other associated services.
PEDAL Early Intervention is a Not for Profit NGO (Non-government Organisation) which has operated quality early childhood programs in Armidale and district since 1976. PEDAL's focus is on helping children with physical and genetic disabilities, Autism, developmental delays and medical conditions.
Early Childhood Intervention Australia
ECIA is the peak national organisation promoting the interests of young children with developmental delay or disability, their families and communities.
Contact details
Early Childhood Education Directorate
Information and Enquiries team: 1300 755 426
Email: ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au