“It’s our polite nudge in the ribs to help you and your team stay organised and on task.”
This week’s subject is: Inclusive environment
Element 3.2.1: Outdoor and indoor spaces are organised and adapted to support every child’s participation and to engage every child in quality experiences in both built and natural environments.
How does your Service organise the physical environment and play spaces to provide children with opportunities to engage in a range of flexible, open-ended play and learning experiences in both independent and group interactions as well as providing space and opportunities for unstructured play?
Flexible arrangements of furniture and equipment, together with materials that allow for multiple uses, encourage children to become flexible thinkers and investigators as they engage in play-based learning. Guide to the NQF
Services provide an inclusive environment when indoor and outdoor spaces are designed to support the diverse interests, preferences and learning styles of all children in the Service. Educators can also enhance inclusion by identifying aspects of the environment that can be adapted to support each child’s participation.
Creating a physical environment that supports and caters to the diverse needs of all children can help to:
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- promote children’s learning and engagement
- experience a sense of belonging
- feel challenged and experience success
- foster positive social relationships
Consider your physical environment, whether it’s inclusive to all children and how it caters to the individual needs of the children in your care:
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- How does the environment support the access of all children and families enrolled at the service?
- How is the environment equipped and organised to cater for all ages and levels of capabilities?
- How can the physical environment be adapted to include all children and provide for their needs and specific interests?
- How are the backgrounds and cultures of the children and families reflected in the environment?
- What strategies are implemented to support children to experience a sense of belonging while at the service?
- How do we measure the success of the layout of the environment & do we regularly evaluate the effectiveness and inclusiveness of the physical environment?
- Is the environment warm and welcoming to all children and families?
- How do we ensure children are provided with appropriate levels of challenge whilst ensuring the safety of younger children?
- Is the environment organised to support positive interactions and opportunities for learning during routine activities (such as toileting, nappy changing, meals and sleeping)
- Are a wide variety of open-ended resources and materials provided in both indoor and outdoor environments?
- How do we include children in the planning of the physical environment?
Consider conducting an environment audit to assess and reflect on the current physical environment to determine any areas of improvement.
Resources:
The environment as the third teacher
Create the Perfect Play Space- Learning Environments for Young Children
Standard 3.2 Use- Case Study 1: FDC
Breaking down inclusion barriers and myths
Within System7 go to Quality Area 3/ Modules 6, 7 & 8 to submit self-assessment notes and if required, open a QIP issue if you identify any areas of improvement.
The Childcare Centre Desktop has a range of resources to assist services with inclusive environment. These include the Physical Environment Audit, Physical Environment and Parent Journey Procedure, Outdoor Environment and Playground Safety Audit Schedule, Physical Environment Policy, Inclusive Audit and much more.
Resources, NQS Element, Regulation and System7 links:
Childcare Centre Desktop – Childcare Centre Desktop
National Quality Standard – QA 3/ 3.2.1- Inclusive Environment
National Regulations – 73, 75, 76, 105, 113
System7 Module – to Quality Area 3/ Modules 6, 7 & 8
If you have any questions send us a note via the Contact page here!
