• Access. Inclusion begins with ensuring that children and families can recognize, enter, and sustain meaningful presence in a wide variety of high-quality early learning opportunities, activities, settings, and environments. Such spaces may have common or unique features and can include community contexts such as Head Start, center and home-based child care, faith-based programs, recreational programs, preschool, public and private pre-kindergarten through early elementary education, and blended early childhood education/early childhood special education programs. While there are many places in which inclusion occurs, and many ways to implement inclusion in these spaces, access to inclusion is facilitated by their physical and social environment. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is one educational framework that guides organizations in removing physical and structural barriers and creating more flexible spaces to support a wide variety of learners. UDL promotes equitable access to learning by encouraging early childhood programs to offer multiple ways for children to engage with materials, understand concepts, and demonstrate their learning. Access also refers to the social environment (attitudes, beliefs, and relationships) of a space. High-quality early learning spaces that acknowledge, value, and welcome the autonomy and contributions of young children and their families promote inclusion. 

• Participation. Access alone does not ensure high-quality inclusion. Inclusion is also promoted through the participation of young children and their families in early learning spaces. Participation is understood as each child and family’s ability to engage meaningfully as members in a given space, according to their identified preferences and capacity. Providers in early learning spaces intentionally apply high-quality practices, such as those described in social-emotional learning frameworks, UDL, and tiered models, to support meaningful participation for all children and their families. This includes embedding instruction within everyday routines and activities, making adaptations and modifications to ensure each and every child can fully access and participate alongside with their peers. The way in which young children and families choose to participate will vary, shaped by their individual strengths, preferences, needs, resources, and the early learning spaces in which they are members. Affirming the genuine membership of young children and families promotes belonging, in which their unique characteristics and contributions are valued and celebrated. 

• System Supports. A comprehensive system of support is necessary to ensure that young children, their families, and early childhood professionals have access to high-quality early learning spaces in which they experience a sense of belonging. An inclusive early childhood approach requires supports at the individual and systems level. Young children and families benefit from a wide range of supports that provide them with the knowledge, skills, and services essential for promoting their desired outcomes. Systems-level supports are vital to ensure that professionals, programs, and organizations are prepared with the competencies, resources, and dispositions needed to implement effective inclusive practices. Professionals in the field also need resources that promote the health and wellbeing of the early childhood workforce. Early childhood professionals at all levels - practitioners, specialists, administrators – must have access to ongoing, high-quality professional development opportunities grounded in established frameworks (e.g., program quality standards, early learning standards and guidelines, and professional competencies and standards), that are designed to guide inclusive practices in the field. Finally, supports are needed to ensure that all members in early childhood spaces have the capacity to engage in continuous communication and collaboration that addresses the needs and priorities of all young children and their families.

• Belonging.

We call on each and every one of us to carry this commitment forward: 

1. To partner deeply with families, 

2. To reflect on and disrupt biases in their own practice, 

3. To shape environments that honor every child’s identity and potential, and 

4. To advocate for systems and policies that uphold justice. 

When we act together with courage and care, we ensure that every child’s rightful presence is recognized, valued, and celebrated—today and always.