Activity 2.4 | Attitude of Care and Inclusion

To support a culture of care and inclusion we can cultivate our curiosity and listening skills. 

Why is a child doing what they are doing? What triggered it? What are they trying to tell us? How might we modify our space, schedules or attitude to help this child? We have talked about a mindset that is flexible and open. Can we hold on to this mindset and be curious? 

We are in a practice that cares for and about children. When we care we see the full humanity of a person and respond to each person as an individual. We all know how we feel when we are cared for. Usually, we feel safe, we can make a mistake and it is okay. Children need to feel safe and cared for. That is our challenge! We must find out how best to care for each child and each family. We have to be curious to understand their situation and we can use a welcoming mindset.   

Take some time to look at your policies. Often policies were done in the past and have not been looked at again, but it is worthwhile to look at your policies and ask yourself if a policy is a barrier for a family or sends a message of exclusion. Read the US Department of Education's National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (2024) Developing a Child Guidance Policy for inspiration.

Reference

National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations. (2024). Developing a Child Guidance Policy. https://challengingbehavior.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/developing_a_child_guidance_policy.pdf