Reasonable adjustments in early learning

Childcare and kindergarten services are open to all children, and assistance is available to support the inclusion of children with disability and additional needs. Services must not discriminate against children with disability. Children do not have to be toilet trained to go to kindergarten or child care.

Childcare centres and kindergartens support your child’s access and participation by making what are called ‘reasonable adjustments’.

What are reasonable adjustments?

A reasonable adjustment means doing something to assist a child with disability so they can participate in activities just like other children. These adjustments can be made to both the indoor and outdoor learning environment, and to excursions and other activities.

Your thoughts and suggestions are valuable because you know your child best. Think about any obstacles your child might be facing when it comes to learning and being included and share this with your child’s educators.

Once reasonable adjustments are made, it’s important to monitor them to make sure they’re still helping your child.

Examples of reasonable adjustments

Meeting access needs

Setting up experiences that can be accessed by all children e.g. adjusting the layout of indoor and outdoor learning areas
Providing information in large print, supported with visuals
Providing supportive comfortable seating, including on the floor
Having handrails up steps or ramps to rooms, toilet and play equipment
Providing assistive or adaptive technologies
Providing pencil grips
Making objects steadier using suction cups, non-slip mats, and sloped boards
Considering environmental elements such as temperature and light
Providing specialised equipment e.g. tools to support children with motor disabilities for grasping, holding, transferring, and releasing

Tailoring the teaching approach

Modifying activities, incursions, and excursions
Using visual supports and social stories
Providing opportunities for the child to share their strengths
Having an educator or assistant help the child stay on-task and access equipment and resources
Using multi-sensory activities for learning

Supporting self-regulation

Quiet spaces
Sensory aids
Visuals for timetables, choice of activities, schedules, and routines
Giving children a lot of warning before they need to change activities
Supporting the wearing of headphones
Providing movement breaks
Promoting independence with problem solving

Supporting communication and care

Access to communication devices at all times
Training for teachers and support staff in how to use communication devices
Training for staff around your child’s personal care or medical needs
Toileting support as needed

Teaching all children the social skills they need to include each other in play
Providing supervised or structured activities at break times

Supporting positive student behaviour

Explicitly teaching expectations, rules, and behaviour skills
Use behaviour guidance principles which focus on children’s strengths and demonstrating respect