Building Inclusive Foundations in Early Education Settings – A Conversation with Dr Amanda Niland - Part Two

In part two of our conversation with early childhood expert Dr Amanda Niland, we explore what best practice collaboration looks like between allied health professionals, parents, children, and early childhood educators. Amanda shares insights into building strong, respectful partnerships in early education settings and the tools that can support truly collaborative and child-centred approaches.

The conversation then shifts to Amanda’s research on disability representation and inclusion in children’s literature. She speaks about her recent projects and the importance of children seeing themselves—and their diverse experiences—reflected in books. Amanda also shares how children’s perspectives on disability may differ from those of adults and highlights why meaningful inclusion matters in early childhood settings, schools, and community activities.

This episode wraps up with valuable recommendations for books and resources that support understanding and inclusion, both for children with disabilities and their typically developing peers.

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