Universal Supports for Inclusion: Helping Every Child Learn, Communicate and Belong

C&K's commitment to inclusive education has taken another significant step forward with the rollout of the Universal Supports for Inclusion (USI) program across our kindergarten and childcare services. The initiative was developed through funding from the Queensland Department of Education and is designed to strengthen inclusive practice across all C&K services through evidence-informed visual supports and educator professional learning.

The USI program focuses on supporting children's communication, social competence and emotional regulation through a consistent, organisation-wide approach that benefits all children. Visual supports help make routines predictable, reduce cognitive load, support communication and understanding, and strengthen emotional regulation and independence. They also enable children to participate more confidently alongside their peers.

Importantly, universal supports are designed for every child. While visual supports can be particularly beneficial for children with disability, developmental delay, language differences, trauma backgrounds or additional learning needs, they help create learning environments where all children can thrive.

Building educator capability

To support implementation, the program includes a series of professional learning modules focused on:

• Multi-modal communication
• Visual supports for social and emotional learning
• Creating inclusive environments through visual supports

The program was developed in collaboration with a Speech and Language Pathologist and independently reviewed by university-based subject matter experts, ensuring educators have access to current evidence-informed practice.

Practical resources for every service

As part of the Universal Supports for Inclusion program, every C&K kindergarten and childcare service has received a comprehensive suite of resources designed to support communication, emotional wellbeing, participation and independence.

These resources include:

• Chat With Me Boards that support conversations, communication and children's ability to express their ideas and needs.
• Emotions Charts that help children recognise, understand and communicate their feelings.
• Social Stories that help children prepare for experiences, understand expectations and build confidence in everyday situations.
• Storytelling Resources to support self-regulation
• Picture Cards that support routines, communication, choice-making and participation throughout the day.

Together, these resources help create predictable, responsive and inclusive learning environments where children can communicate, regulate emotions, build independence and develop a strong sense of belonging.

Supporting a culture of belonging

The Universal Supports for Inclusion program reflects C&K's vision of creating exemplary inclusive environments where universal supports are available to every child, every day. By enhancing communication, participation, emotional regulation and independence, the program helps ensure children feel supported, capable and connected in their learning journey.