Parents' perspectives on inclusive Practices in early childhood education and care: facilitators and barriers for children with Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy frequently experience challenges and barriers to inclusion in early childhood education and care. However, there is limited research exploring the experiences of children with cerebral palsy and their families. Understanding family perspectives on their experience is likely to provide insights for professionals to improve inclusive practices. Using Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory, this study evaluates online survey responses of factors that parents believed facilitated - or created barriers towards - inclusive early childhood education. Ninety-eight parents shared their levels of satisfaction and perspectives regarding the importance of inclusion practices involving their child in Australian settings. Parents reported overall high levels of satisfaction, highlighting the importance of positive educator attitudes, communication between home and settings and partnerships between home, allied health practitioners and early childhood education and care settings. Concerns related to children's psychological wellbeing were raised, particularly regarding children's experiences and challenges with anxiety including separation anxiety.