As the revised early childhood curriculum framework Aistear is implemented in Ireland, many educators are asking the same question: What does this look like in everyday practice? While the revised curriculum introduces important developments around children’s rights, inclusion and participation, its greatest strength lies not in presenting new ideas, but in deepening our understanding of what quality practice already aspires to be.
This is where the revised Child Paths Curriculum Preparation Featureoffers timely and practical support. Rather than presenting inclusion as another initiative to add to an already busy day, the feature invites educators to reflect on the environments, relationships and interactions they create for children every day. It encourages us to move beyond asking whether children are present in our settings to considering whether every child genuinely experiences belonging, participation and influence.
Central to this reflection is the updated Lundy Model of Participation (2007; 2024). While many educators are familiar with children’s voice, the feature explores participation in its fullest sense through Lundy’s four interconnected elements: Space, Voice, Audience and Influence. The reflective questions woven throughout the feature encourage educators to pause and consider their own practice. How do children know they are safe to express their ideas? Have we allowed enough time to truly listen? How do we ensure that children who communicate in different ways are heard? Are we genuinely ready to listen, and do children understand what happens after they share their views? Perhaps most importantly, how do children see that their ideas have influenced decisions? These questions move participation beyond consultation towards authentic rights-based practice. They remind us that listening is not an event but an ongoing professional disposition.
Drawing on the work of Ainscow (2020), Pantić and Florian (2015), and Graham et al. (2025), the Child Paths curriculum preparation feature asks educators to design learning experiences that anticipate learner diversity from the outset rather than adapting them afterwards. These ideas resonate strongly with Universal Design for Learning, shifting our thinking from differentiation for some children to accessible learning for everyone.
Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of the preparation feature is that it does not provide a checklist of strategies. Instead, it supports professional inquiry. Its reflective prompts encourage educators to think deeply about their own settings, their interactions and the everyday decisions that shape children’s experiences of inclusion and participation.
Ultimately, curriculum preparation is about looking more closely at our existing practice through the lens of children’s rights. The preparation feature helps educators translate ambitious curriculum aspirations into meaningful experiences for every child. In doing so, it reminds us that inclusion is not something we add to the curriculum, it is the way the curriculum comes alive.
The Child Paths curriculum preparation feature is designed to support educators in engaging with these ideas through reflective questions, research-informed insights and practical connections to everyday practice, making it a valuable resource as settings assimilate Aistear 2024.
References
Ainscow, M. (2020). Promoting inclusion and equity in education: Lessons from international experiences. Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, 6(1), 7–16.
Botha, M., Hanlon, J., & Williams, G. L. (2024). Research and practice in neurodiversity-affirming approaches. (or another neurodiversity-affirming source you are already using).
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. (2022). Access and Inclusion Model (AIM). https://aim.gov.ie
Department of Education. (2024). Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024–2033. Dublin: Government of Ireland.
Florian, L., & Black-Hawkins, K. (2011). Exploring inclusive pedagogy. British Educational Research Journal, 37(5), 813–828.
Lundy, L. (2007). ‘Voice’ is not enough: Conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Educational Research Journal, 33(6), 927–942.
Lundy, L. (2024). The Lundy Model of Participation: Guidance and updated resources. Queen’s University Belfast.
Pantić, N., & Florian, L. (2015). Developing teachers as agents of inclusion and social justice. Education Inquiry, 6(3), 333–351.
Pellicano, E., & den Houting, J. (2022). Annual Research Review: Shifting from ‘normal science’ to neurodiversity in autism science. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
United Nations. (1989). United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York: United Nations.
United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). New York: United Nations.
