You will know that you are running an inclusive playgroup when all families attending:
- feel safe and welcome to participate
- feel valued for their contribution
- are empowered to choose and make decisions
- are given the same opportunities to participate
Playgroups can help all families feel welcome, by:
- Being friendly and welcoming: Smile, initiate conversation, find common experiences of
parenting - Using inclusive language: communicate that you see and value the whole person. Avoid
using phrases like “suffers from” or “trapped in a wheelchair” because it’s more useful to focus on what people CAN do. Ask the individual or their parent/carer what language they prefer- many people in the disability community prefer identity-first language. - Creating a welcoming sign-in table: simple information about how the playgroup works including the routine, Google translation of the most important points in a family’s language, and a statement about the playgroup’s commitment to being inclusive.
- Getting to know about a family before they first attend playgroup: This will help you plan to make their first visit enjoyable: What is your child interested in? Is there anything they prefer or avoid? Is there anything that you would like us to take into consideration when setting up the space? If your child has any tricky moments, how would you like myself
and the other parents to support you? Do you use any visual supports or key word signs that you would like us to use too? - Encouraging families to arrive at least 15 minutes early to their first visit to playgroup: to give them a chance to get to know the space and the routine before it gets busy and noisy.
- emphasising and embracing each child’s unique traits
- supporting and encouraging the children's strengths
- acknowledging that children learn new skills and behaviours at different paces and sometimes in a different order
- demonstrating to children the fun of including others
- being positive role models.
- being positive role models.
See here for further resources on creating an inclusive play experience.