'This is an excellent, easy-to-read guide to inclusive practice in the early years' - Nursery World

'Exceptionally well-written... At a time when the inclusion debate is raging more fiercely than ever, I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone working with young children' - Early Years Educator

'What a splendid book this is - so well set out and so easily usable! It's full of ideas for improving current practice with realistic advice and well thought practices... It would be unfair to restrict this book to practitioners in the special education field. Written in a user-friendly style, this book is so useful that it should be in the library of all pre-schools as well as accessible to all those training to work with children in the early years' - Early Years Update

'A welcome updated version of a key text for early years practitioners' - SENCO Update

'The final statement sums up the tone of the book: "All children have the right to be respected, valued and included, so locally and nationally we must ensure that all practitioners have the knowledge and skills to offer that respect within an inclusive system and, hopefully, within a more inclusive society". This book makes a very positive contribution to making this a reality' - Early Education

'The book is user friendly and thoroughly practical. It is clearly relevant to the needs of the target audience of early years practitioners, students and other professionals working with children with special needs and their families. This book has value for all and I recommend it strongly to all practitioners (not just teachers and teaching assistants)' - Special

Praise for the first edition:

`This is one of the best books I have read on special needs and the very young and I thoroughly recommend it to all with a professional or personal interest in this area' - Special Children

`This is an exemplary introductory textbook for students, and a veritable mine of information. Undoubtedly, this is an early years/special needs book that many readers can and will relate to' - Sheila Wolfendale, European Journal of Special Needs Education

`This well crafted "practitioners guide" thoughtfully addresses the many issues that practitioners face when they consider their involvement in early education in the context of work with special educational needs. Those who read this book will find that they know a little more about these important issues and may find themselves challenged to reflect on their personal attitudes towards inclusive education: ideally becoming better providers for children with learning difficulties`- Cathy Nutbrown, Journal of Early Childhood Research

In this newly updated edition, Kate Wall has:

o revamped the content, so that it covers all the new SEN & early years initiatives;

o provided practitioners, students and parents with current examples of good practice;

o updated information on interagency issues and working with parents;

o included individual case studies as exemplars.

This book is essential reading for early years practitioners, professionals dealing with children with special educational needs and their families, and students in the early years and special needs fields.

Kate Wall is an author and Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies and Primary Education at Canterbury Christ Church University.