2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute

The session opens with an honest look at why OT and educator partnerships so frequently break down, even when both parties are deeply committed to inclusion. From there, participants are introduced to a practical partnership framework built around three pillars: shared language, shared observation, and shared planning. Each pillar is unpacked with concrete examples drawn from real classroom and clinic partnerships, including strategies for co-developing sensory and regulation support plans that educators can actually implement without requiring clinical expertise. The session includes facilitated small group discussion and a collaborative planning activity that participants can bring back to their own settings. The final portion addresses how to bring families into the partnership as equal contributors rather than recipients of information, which aligns directly with the 2026 Institute theme of Powerful Partnerships.