How is inclusion defined on the early childhood level in China, Germany and the UK: a systematic literature review

Abstract

In the international context, including children with diverse needs and backgrounds in early childhood settings is at the heart of education policy and planning. Nevertheless, a lack of a consistent and clear definition of inclusive education will leave the concept wide open for different interpretations and sometimes misinterpretations, which potentially leads to exclusionary practices in the name of inclusion. Our study examined how early childhood inclusion is defined in China, Germany and the UK. Peer-reviewed studies between 2000 and 2020 were systematically examined under the framework of the four dimensions of inclusion of ‘access, acceptance, participation and achievement’. 15 studies were selected that showed various aspects of the definition. Discussions on the inconsistent and tokenism definition of inclusion from various stakeholders are presented. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.