Children are part of the inclusion team

Children are integral members of the inclusion team. Their voice is important and should be considered at each step of the inclusion team journey. Although a child may not be actively contributing to discussions and meetings, it is important that the team think about how to capture and include their voice.

Use this map to help you to include the voices of children at every step of your working together journey.

Click here to download a copy of the Inclusion Together Map.

Decisions that are made need to be important both for the child and to the child

Children have a right to participate and to be meaningfully involved in decision-making that affects them. It is important to include their voice, strengths, preferences and interests.

Including the child, their peers and their siblings as part of the team ensures that children's voices are heard as well as the voices of the adults supporting them. The phrase team with the child rather than team around the child recognises the child as a contributing team member.

From birth, children communicate and express meaning in many ways

These include:

• sound;
• body language, facial expressions and gestures;
• behaviour;
• sign language;
• spoken words;
• writing, drawing or visual art;
• movement and play; and
• through assistive technology such as speech-generated devices.

A child's actions, interactions, choices and preferences can communicate their understanding, thinking, opinions and feelings.

It is important that the inclusion team think about how to include children's voices

To 'hear' and value the voice of a child:

• make sure children feel safe, secure and comfortable;
• be receptive to the different ways that children communicate, including what their behaviour might be telling you;
• engage, listen and respond during interactions, experiences, transitions and everyday routines;
• allow enough time to watch and learn how a child prefers to communicate;
• pause after asking a question so that the child can respond in their own time in their own way. Be patient, don't interrupt and provide encouragement by smiling and nodding;
• support communication with pictures, symbols, story boards, real objects, photos and assistive technology as needed;
• ask open-ended questions: What do you think about...?; How do you feel when...?; What do you like about...?; What makes you feel that way...?
• offer choices between two play items or food items, or use a choice board, if a child doesn't use words to communicate or may not understand a question;
  
• appreciate that children's communication skills and preferences can change over time as they grow and develop; and
• ensure the child's voice is not only heard but that it influences decisions being made.

Actively seeking, listening to, and valuing the voices of children will ensure their important perspectives are heard and genuinely considered.

The child, their siblings and peers are all integral members of the inclusion team

• The child provides their important personal perspective. This might include what they want, feel, think, are interested in, like and dislike, and what is important to them. These perspectives can provide vital input to, or feedback on, decisions affecting them. Always consider how decisions may feel 'to' the child.
• Siblings are important family members and can provide different perspectives. Siblings engage with the child in the natural, everyday environment of the home. They have a unique, familial relationship with the child and can offer another voice that differs from adult family members. At times, they may advocate for and amplify the child's voice. Seek and listen to what they have to say.
  
• A child's peers also provide perspectives that can be helpful. Peers engage with the child in play and learning in the natural, everyday environment of the early childhood education and care service. Children learn to recognise, value and respond to each other's strengths, and the different abilities and interests of their peers. When children are with their peers, they have opportunities to practise and learn new skills and develop friendships. A child's play and relationships with their peers impact on their sense of belonging and identity. Seek and value the perspectives of a child's peers, as they are important people in the child's life.

Information, resources and ideas for including children's voices