2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute

This session will highlight key strategies to advance meaningful inclusion and belonging and is designed for educators, educational leaders, and family partners across states, communities, and programs. Building inclusive communities requires intentional collaboration, both horizontally across programs and vertically within each program’s administrative structure, each tailored to the unique context of the state, community, and program. Participants will explore core principles, mindsets, and evidence-informed practices that strengthen inclusive opportunities for every child. The session will feature successful policies, guidance, and actionable strategies that can be implemented at multiple levels of the system and across programs. Corresponding tools and resources will be shared to support sustained implementation and cross-role partnership.

Families of infants and toddlers regularly seek out child care for their children--however for children with disabilities finding care that not only provides access for their families but a true sense of belonging remains challenging. This session will provide research, resources, and strategies for supporting inclusive child care systems for infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. We will focus on state and program-level barriers and opportunities for Part C early intervention and child care systems to work together to create meaningful and inclusive experiences for families. Participants will leave with reflection tools to bring back home to impact infants and toddlers in their states and communities.

Many families, especially those with neurodivergent children, struggle to manage their children',s media use. This session presents original research by a UNC professor who is herself autistic, with autistic children. The presentation weaves original theory and research findings together with personal stories to humanize the struggle for both parents and children, and offers suggestions for building a family discourse around sensory experiences to help parents identify non-media alternatives that support their children',s sensory regulation.

The Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System (3rd Ed.) is a linked system that includes assessment, goal development, teaching/intervention, and progress monitoring. The presenter, an author of the AEPS-3, will describe each component of the AEPS-3 and how it can be used to support young children in inclusive settings. The presentation will focus on: 1) the importance of using authentic assessment information to development functional goals, 2) a tiered curriculum framework that provides guidance on universal (tier 1), focused (tier 2), and specialized (tier 3) support, 3) how to use the AEPS-3 as an ongoing progress monitoring tool, and 4) how to include families in all aspects of their child's education using AEPS-3. ,

Creating inclusive early learning environments takes intention, collaboration, and action. Grounded in the shared mission of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Division for Early Childhood (DEC), the Joint Position Statement on Early Childhood Inclusion calls on all of us to move from vision to practice. In this session, you’ll learn what’s new in the currently being-revised statement, have an opportunity to share your feedback, and explore concrete ways everyone of us can apply these principles to strengthen inclusion and belonging across early childhood environments.

This interactive session explores how the Pyramid Coaching Model can be expanded beyond classroom practice into community based and cross sector systems that support young children, families, and the adults who care for them. Using real world examples from large scale implementation efforts, participants will examine how reflective coaching strengthens educator confidence, promotes family belonging, and builds sustainable partnerships across agencies and community stakeholders.
A featured systems case example will highlight the adaptation of Pyramid Model principles within community safety partnerships, including collaboration with police force leadership and family support systems through the Positive Solutions for Families Train the Trainers model. This example demonstrates how Pyramid practices can be translated into relationship based leadership, prevention, and regulation strategies that strengthen trust and belonging across the broader community.
Participants will engage in reflective dialogue and practical planning around how coaching infrastructures, implementation teams, and family centered partnerships can be leveraged to create inclusive systems change that is sustainable, equitable, and culturally responsive.
Participant Outcomes
By the end of the session, participants will:

• Explore advanced applications of the Pyramid Coaching Model across systems
• Learn how Positive Solutions for Families train the trainers structures strengthen community capacity
• Analyze a cross sector example integrating Pyramid practices with police and family systems
• Identify strategies for building sustainable inclusive community partnerships
• Develop one action step for expanding belonging in their own implementation context

This session presents the an overview of the revised Inclusive Classroom Profile and shares findings from the research study that assessed the psychometric properties of the revised tool.  ,Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the changes, additions and new features of the ICP tool,  ,discuss the findings of the pilot research and reflect upon the different ways they can use the ICP tool in their own work.

What stories do the children in your classroom believe about their own sense of competence? Are children with and without disabilities free to take risks and explore the limits of their abilities? Let’s discuss! Participants will discover the Japanese practice of mimamoru, or "watchful protection" and how this practice can foster inclusion and belonging. You’ll learn from the perspectives of an early childhood professional with a disability and a Japanese educator, following a series of observations in Japanese child care and PreK programs. This interactive session blends personal stories, cross-cultural wisdom, and immediate application. Explore how to rewrite children's narratives from "I need help" to "I can figure this out." Consider your own protective instincts and challenge them with a view of inclusion through the lens of another culture. Leave with a list of strategies to try out, ideas to share with families & colleagues, and one concrete commitment to shift from over-helping to becoming an anchoring presence. The stories children tell themselves are first learned in our programs. We have an incredible opportunity to ensure they are stories of competence and self-assurance.

This session explores the intersections between early identification, early intervention, and inclusion in early childhood systems. Using a Fragile X case example and cross-system research findings, presenters will examine where families encounter barriers and highlight practical strategies to improve referrals, coordination, navigation supports, and inclusive participation outcomes.

In the complex world of early childhood inclusion, it can be difficult to stay grounded in what truly matters. This panel explores how mothers at different stages of the journey define their “North Star” and use it to guide decisions and advocacy. Those just beginning share the uncertainty and questions they face, while more experienced mothers reflect on how their perspectives have evolved over time. Together, they offer insight into navigating systems, shifting priorities, and staying focused on the child.

The Institute for Home Visiting Workforce Development (Workforce Institute) ,is advancing a National Strategy for the Home Visiting Workforce to strengthen support for home visitors, focusing on wellbeing, career pathways, and workforce stability. This session will explore evidence-based strategies to improve workforce well-being, with specific implications for Early Intervention (EI) professionals. Through interactive engagement, participants will identify current initiatives and co-create personal action plans for sustainability. ,

Preschoolers are suspended at nearly three times the rate of their school‑aged counterparts, with disparities across gender, race, and disability status placing some young children at significantly greater risk than others. While certain forms of exclusionary discipline are widely recognized, many young children experience “informal” or “soft” exclusion—practices that families and even early childhood professionals may not identify as exclusionary at all.

In this session, attendees will learn about and discuss what exclusionary discipline looks like in early childhood settings, how it affects children and families, and what we can do together to reduce its use and support more inclusive, developmentally appropriate practices.