Creating an Inclusive and Safe Educational Environment in Educational Institutions: The Psychological and Pedagogical Aspect

The study aimed to identify and explain the interconnected psychological, social, pedagogical and organisational conditions that contribute to an accessible, supportive, and safe environment in which diverse groups of students can participate. The study was conducted as an integrative review of research literature with conceptual and thematic synthesis; the review examined a purposively selected, non-random sample comprising 35 English-language peer-reviewed publications from 2021–2026. As a result of content coding, nine interconnected components were identified: accessibility of learning, psychological and social safety, school and classroom climate, a sense of belonging to the community, supportive relationships, social and emotional learning, prevention of bullying and cyberbullying, trauma-informed practices, as well as teachers’ attitudes, self-efficacy and professional development. The synthesis organised these components into four functional levels: individual psychological, interpersonal, pedagogical and organisational. The synthesis highlighted risks at the connections between levels, especially when stated rules are not supported by daily practice, supportive relationships are not accompanied by accessibility of learning, and universal programmes insufficiently take into account the needs of vulnerable groups. It was determined that meaningful student participation is supported when there is consistency among organisational norms, teaching methods, interpersonal interaction and the subjective sense of acceptance and belonging. The practical contribution is an integrated approach to educational planning that combines Universal Design for Learning, teacher support, mechanisms for preventing and responding to bullying, student participation in decision-making and regular assessment of school climate.