Newsletter 41: ‘Additional needs’—looking beyond disability
All children, in fact all people, have additional needs at times. These may be relatively minor or life altering; short term, long term or ongoing. Children can have additional needs for a variety of reasons, including disability, living in complex or vulnerable circumstances or their cultural, linguistic or family background.
E-Newsletter No. 38 (Owens, 2012) focused on the additional needs of children who have a disability. This e-Newsletter focuses on the many other categories of additional needs that educators encounter and respond to. 'Inclusion' (or 'inclusive practice') is a term used often in relation to children who have disabilities. However, in its broadest sense, 'inclusion' refers to the right of all children to participate fully in the curriculum in an early learning setting.
