Social reality in inclusive early childhood education settings

Abstract Inclusive education is a globally preferred value and practice, but according to research evidence, inclusion does not always occur as intended. Inclusion is hindered not only by various structures but also by people's attitudes, perceptions and mindsets. The aim of this research is to describe the social reality of inclusive early childhood education (ECE) constructed in professionals' speech. The data consisted of interviews of 26 ECE professionals in Finnish ECE, and a discursive approach was used in the analysis. According to this study, ECE professionals have various discourses in their speech that shape the social reality in ECE environments, further interpretable as either promoting inclusion or causing exclusion. This study highlights the importance of understanding different discourses and their role in shaping the social reality in inclusive ECE on our path towards desired inclusiveness.