The 2024 pilot was a collaboration between the Creche and Kindergarten Association, the Department of Education and Mt Warren State School’s Early Childhood Development Program (ECDP). The program was a testament to the power of an inclusive learning environment.

The program sees Lisa and her co-educators, Jodie and Sheneen, partner with:

• Wendy, Teacher of the Deaf (TOD) – a trained teacher who is deaf and has specialised in deaf education.
• Anna, Educational Interpreter (EI) – a hearing adult facilitating communication.
• Jane, Auslan Language Model (ALM) – a Deaf adult modelling Auslan for the children.

Inclusion isn’t just about access—it’s about belonging. The pilot program provided a play-based environment where Deaf or Hard of Hearing children could fully participate, while also giving every hearing child the opportunity to learn Auslan through play.

Of the 18 enrolled children in the kindergarten program, six were Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Several of the children have speech delays, global developmental delays, or autism. Every teacher showcased their vision of ‘inclusion is a culture’ – each interaction was intentional, focused, and joyous… and every single child thrived.

With the support of Anna signing every book Teacher/Director Lisa read and Jane signing and playing with a child in the home corner, every child actively participated in the learning program.

A moment that truly captured the heart of the program was when a hearing child tapped a Deaf child on the shoulder, waited for them to turn around and look at him, and then signed for him to come and join him in the block corner. The two children played collaboratively for a long time, communicating with simple and expressive Auslan as they built an extensive block structure, occasionally supported by Wendy.

In Australia, three to six children in every thousand have some degree of hearing loss, and approximately 250–400 children are born each year with significant permanent hearing loss in both ears.

Moments like these show us that when we foster understanding and embrace diversity, every child flourishes. This is what true inclusion looks like—one sign, one story, and one friendship at a time.

C&K is proud to continue offering this program in 2025 at C&K Indooroopilly Community Kindergarten, with Director/Teacher Lisa and the wider team supporting all children to flourish.