In the last 6 months, CYPES conducted online surveys and workshops inviting people to share their views on inclusive early years and education.
Their views and inputs will go into creating a Vision and Charter for Inclusion in Education and Early Years.
A charter is a set of principles that will enable inclusive education across the Island.
More than 1,800 people participated. This included:
- Children and young people
- Parents and carers
- School staff and Education Practitioners
- Third sector representatives and agencies supporting children and young people
Themes identified by the participants included:
- Including the voices of children and young people in decisions made about them
- Ensuring that nurseries, schools and colleges are accessible to children and young people with physical and mental health needs
- Embracing the diverse cultures and groups on our island
- Building greater community awareness around inclusion
- Adapting the curriculum and delivering it to suit the needs of all children and young people
- Working more closely with parents and carers and providing more support for practitioners.
The Inclusive Education Charter Working Group have held two meetings so far.
The group includes:
- Parents
- Early years providers
- Representatives from schools, colleges and government
- Private and third sector organisations
They will consider all the feedback given from the online surveys and workshops and use it to shape the Inclusive Education and Early years initiative, as well as the vision and principles of the Charter.
