An Unconditional Right to Belong: One Toddler's Journey Toward Inclusion

• In Event: AERA Virtual Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Centering Child, Individual Voice

Abstract

Drawing on the right to belong and a social-relational model of disability framework, we explore how inclusive practices in a childcare setting can promote authentic belonging and offer space for Miguel, a toddler with autism, to engage in free exploration to discover who he is, who he is becoming, and how he can belong. We used multiple forms of data to create a portrait of Miguel that tells a story of toddler inclusion through a lens of strength, resilience, agency, and belonging. By asking questions that are fundamental to the rights and agency of the child and how children experience inclusion and belonging in their learning community, we hope to contribute to the ongoing conversation around reconceptualizing early childhood inclusion.

Authors

• Susan L. Recchia, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Seung Eun McDevitt