All early years settings aim to be inclusive and treat each child as unique. But childcare provider Footprints Learning for Life in Hartlepool takes this ambition to an extreme. Winner of the Nursery World Inclusive Practice Award in 2021, it cares for children of any background and need, however challenging. It also mirrors this approach in its recruitment policies, which welcome staff with additional or long-term health requirements.
‘Everyone deserves a chance,’ is director Sharon Birch’s mantra. She took over the nursery in 2006 after being on its board of governors, as her three children attended the setting. It was her first early education role after spending 20 years working in child protection for the police force. In Hartlepool, almost three in ten children live in an income-deprived household.
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