Inclusive Pathways is a whole-service professional learning and implementation support program designed to strengthen inclusion, participation and belonging in early childhood settings.

The program supports educators and service leaders to better understand developmental variation, identify barriers to participation, and make responsive adjustments within everyday play-based learning. Rather than treating inclusion as a separate program, Inclusive Pathways helps services embed inclusive practice into daily routines, environments, relationships and teaching decisions.

Educators build confidence to observe children holistically, respond to diverse learning needs, and create calmer, more predictable environments where all children can engage meaningfully alongside their peers.

A key focus is supporting collaboration with families, community services and allied health professionals through Team Around the Child approaches. Educators are guided to have respectful conversations, support referrals where appropriate, and contribute to coordinated planning.

Inclusive Pathways combines professional learning, coaching, observation, modelling and reflection to help services move from awareness to action and embed sustainable inclusive practices across the whole team.

Expected outcomes:

• Improved understanding of developmental variation, inclusion and participation in early childhood settings.
• Improved ability to identify barriers to children’s participation.
• Improved ability to make responsive adjustments within routines, environments and play-based learning.
• Improved confidence to support children’s regulation, engagement and belonging.
• Improved ability to collaborate with families, community services and allied health professionals.

Inclusive Pathways is delivered by the Hourglass Time Education team through a flexible hybrid model, with options to suit whole-service, regional and online delivery needs.

The Whole Service Implementation Model includes live online training, a face-to-face service visit and online coaching across the year. Training focuses on developmental variation, participation, inclusive environments, responsive adjustments, play-based learning, observation and planning. The service visit includes observation, environment review, modelling of inclusive practice, in-the-moment coaching and reflective team discussions. Follow-up support focuses on collaboration with families and community services, tracking progress, reviewing implementation and identifying next-step actions.

The Hybrid and Regional Access Model includes four hours of pre-recorded, self-paced online learning, followed by online coaching sessions across the year. These sessions support educator reflection, implementation planning and service goals.

Both options provide ongoing implementation support to help educators embed inclusive strategies into everyday routines, environments and play-based preschool programs. Online delivery has no travel cost. Face-to-face delivery more than 40km from Adelaide CBD may include travel and accommodation costs.

Whole Service Implementation Model – $5,000

Hybrid and Regional Access Model – $3,100

Online training has no travel costs. Face-to-face delivery more than 40km from Adelaide CBD may include travel charged at $80 per hour and accommodation costs of approximately $200–$300 where required.