Inside Inclusion: A diary of working toward inclusion

What a spectacular morning to be in New York City with my co-researcher (and amazing brother) Tim as we prepare to present at the United Nations for World Down Syndrome Day, 2026.

Happy World Down Syndrome Day!

One of the most wonderful research projects that I am lucky to be working on at present is the fabulous ‘Changing Hearts and Minds’ (CHAMPs) project with my amazing colleagues from the University of Strathclyde – Dr Zinnia Mevawalla and Jane Caitlin, and from Glasgow City Council – Jackie Fulton and Margaret Harper-Abdullah.

CHAMP is a joint knowledge exchange research project working with early years leaders in Scotland to champion inclusive education and care. It is such a privilege to be part of this exciting, innovative, ongoing project.

We know that there are many barriers to genuine inclusion. Some of these include: persistent misunderstandings of inclusion; Ableism; lack of appropriate and adequate professional development opportunities for leaders; low pay and challenging working conditions; low professional status for early years teachers and educators.

The exciting part is that working together with early years leaders in this project – growing our inclusion CHAMPs! – is having tangible benefits for children, families, educators, teachers and communities.

A key finding from our pilot study shifted participants from conditional inclusion (“we can include children, only if…”), to a more confident, collective, and ongoing view of inclusion (“we are including, and we will keep learning how to do it better”). 

Image description:

A photo of a pin on badge that has the words ‘Changing hearts and minds, CHAMPS’ around a fist representing strength and solidarity.

Today I had a wonderful session with the Children’s Voices Centre’s (CVC) World Health Organization (WHO) research team. We are working together with the WHO as part of the Disability Health Equity Network to bring children’s perspectives to the work of the WHO and health organisations and services across the globe.

In our meeting today we had a fabulous exploration of the ethics of working with children in the ways that we do and reflected on the wisdom of the children in our CVC Children’s Advisory Panel. Together, the children developed ground rules for how our meetings run. The children’s rules are:

• Come and go as you need (it is okay if you need a break or to run around)
• Listen to each other
• Don’t speak on top of each other, wait for a moment if you need to
• Give everyone a turn
• Let the chair lead the meeting
• There are no right or wrong answers
• This is an important opportunity to tell the world what matters to children
• Have fun!

The image above is a poster from one of the children, who is 9 years old, illustrating the rules that this child thinks are the most important!

Image description:

A white piece of paper coloured green in the background with pencil. The paper reads, in curly handwriting: In the children’s advisory group we

• listen
• there is no right or wrong answer
• have fun
• share your ideas.
  

At the bottom of the page is a drawing of a yellow smiley face and the logo for the Children’s Advisory Group designed by this child, which has a blue crown with a yellow star in the middle and streamers out the sides.

Tim and Kathy Cologon smiling at the camera from separate online screens while working.

I had a wonderful time today working with my ever fabulous co-researcher, Tim Cologon, as we prepare our speech to present at the United Nations for World Down Syndrome Day. We are beyond thrilled to have this opportunity to share the wisdom of children on the topic ‘together against loneliness’ from our research.

Stay tuned for more about these amazing children and what we can learn from them as we work together toward a more inclusive world!

I had a wonderful time today meeting with Jo Grimmond talking about her wonderful research plans as she continues to share and develop her NUMBBA tool.

Through her research, Jo has created the fabulous Numeracy and Mathematics Block-Based Assessment (NUMBBA) for early childhood education. I’m loving exploring with Jo the exciting possibilities for further research, development, and sharing of NUMBBA.

In early childhood settings, assessment is an important part of planning for children’s learning, but it can be difficult to find tools that fit naturally within play-based environments and create spaces for every child to show what they know, whilst also supporting educators in their practice and confidence around mathematics.

NUMBBA approaches assessment in a different way to traditional assessments. Using block play, educators can observe children’s mathematical thinking in action and gain insights into key areas such as patterning, symmetry and number. These areas are important foundations for later mathematical learning and I love hearing Jo’s stories of the wonderful creations children make within this assessment process!

What makes Jo’s work particularly valuable is that NUMBBA is supported by practice resources that help educators build their confidence and knowledge of early mathematics, and support educators in planning next steps for children’s learning.

I’m excited for what Jo is doing with NUMBBA to support more and more educators to recognise and extend the rich mathematics already present in children’s play!

If you want to learn more about NUMBBA do check out this overview: https://research.csu.edu.au/collaborate-with-us/agripark-commercialisation-and-innovation/commercialisation-and-innovation/investors-and-industry/numbba-assessment-practice-supports

To all my wonderful colleagues out there, you are warmly invited to register and submit an abstract for our Children’s Voices Conference 2026.

The theme for our conference is “Creating a more inclusive world for children” – a theme I am very excited about.

This is a FREE international conference (with FREE registration, FREE abstract submission, and it is FREE to attend)!

If you are a practitioner, established or emerging researcher, or research student, doing work with, for, or about children (from early childhood through to adulthood), this is the opportunity to share your work! Abstracts are open now and close on Monday 11 May 2026. All abstracts are considered by the scientific review committee and outcomes will be notified in July.

The conference will run from Sep 1-3 2026. All presentations will be prerecorded and streamed online, with perpetual access to presentations.

Our previous conferences have attracted approximately 1,500 participants from around the world, along with countless presentation views post the conference.

As co-chair, along with the wonderful Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod and Associate Professor Tamara Cumming , I couldn’t be more excited to invite you to register, present, and share widely!

For more information go to: https://childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains/

I look forward to hearing about your work!

Image description: An orange tile with the Charles Sturt University logo and the following words:
Children’s Voices Conference 2026:
Creating a more inclusive world for children!
Submit your abstract and register now for this FREE international conference that will run from Sep 1-3 2026
For more information go to: followed by a QR code for the website https://lnkd.in/g3cGqD7F
The image on the tile shows a group of seven children holding hands, smiling and running towards the camera.

It has been my absolute privilege to present at the Down Syndrome Victoria Authentic Inclusion Conference in Melbourne this week.

The highlight of the conference for me was getting to chair a panel with these three amazing humans: Pia Bolger, Harry Sencek, and Owen Roberts. Deep thanks to each of you for sharing your experiences of inclusive education, and your wisdom and ideas, to a room of wonderful and committed educators!

Image description

A photo of Kathy Cologon, Harry Sencek, Pia Bolger, and Owen Roberts standing on the conference stage in front of a poster for Down Syndrome Victoria and a poster saying ‘Disability Inclusion, Education for All’.