Earlier this year, a South Lanarkshire nursery was named winners of a Success Looks Different Award. Here, Muirne Kolek and Caitlin Milligan of ELU Hamilton share more about their approach which prioritises relationships and the importance of opportunity in their delivery of meaningful inclusion. 

Winning the Success Looks Different Award has been an incredible honour for us at the Early Learning Unit. This recognition reflects the work of our dedicated staff and families, which is to ensure every child feels seen, heard, valued, and celebrated, regardless of their background or the obstacles they encounter. 

For us, inclusion is not an initiative. It’s a commitment woven into every interaction, every environment we create, and every decision we make. We know that children with additional support needs (ASN) and their families deserve a setting where their voices matter, their individuality is respected, and their successes are recognised in meaningful ways. 

The importance of relationships

Our approach begins with relationships. We prioritise trust, empathy, and understanding so children feel safe enough to explore, learn, and grow. Every child has a personalised care plan, created in collaboration with their families, to reflect their strengths, and areas of development to ensure they gain quality learning from their nursery experience. These plans are working documents, regularly reviewed, and used daily by staff to influence the support we offer.  

We recognise communication as being central to inclusion, and the development of positive relationships, which is why we’ve introduced TACPAC and Bucket Time to promote shared attention, interaction, and language development, especially for those with complex needs. We support these approaches with regular observations recorded in our online Learning Journals, enabling us to track progress and adapt strategies as needed. As these journals are accessible to parents and carers, they can stay up to date with their child’s achievements and incorporate strategies at home. 

We also believe deeply in building and nurturing the children’s relationship with their rights, improving awareness and understanding of how these apply, even in these early years. As a result, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is embedded within our practice. We focus on a ‘Right of the Month’ which is explored through activities, stories, and conversations. Our rights ambassador, Quinn – a puppet character created to engage the children—champions these principles. 

Promoting equal opportunity in an early years setting

We’ve implemented a number of initiatives across the nursery to ensure equitable opportunities for all the children in our care.  

Our Mr. McWheelie Garden is a dedicated space where children can learn to ride bikes in a safe, supportive environment. It not only helps them develop balance, coordination, and road safety awareness, but also builds confidence and resilience as they master a new skill. By providing access to bikes and equipment, we remove barriers for children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn to ride, promoting both inclusion and physical wellbeing.  

Our edible schoolyard enables children to grow fruit and vegetables, cook them, and share the meals with their families. This promotes sustainability as well as working to reduce the cost of the school day, and ensuring every child can take part in healthy, seasonal eating. This hands-on experience not only connects children to nature and their community but also helps address social inequalities by giving all families access to fresh produce and practical food skills. 

We have developed dedicated spaces to support children’s self-regulation. Working in partnership with other agencies, including Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, and Physiotherapists. We have introduced sensory circuits that equip children with the tools to manage their emotions and feel ready to learn.  

We also embrace creativity and accessibility through initiatives like Bookbug, PEEP, and Early Bird sessions, ensuring all families, including those who might find community resources harder to access, have opportunities for learning and connection. 

Meaningful engagement, participation and recognition

One of our biggest hurdles has been ensuring recognition and celebration of achievements are genuinely meaningful for every child. After completing Emotion Coaching Training, we realised traditional methods like certificates and stickers could unintentionally undermine self-esteem or exclude those who find academic or social milestones harder to reach. We reimagined our approach, replacing awards with our Achievement Tree, which allows for daily recognition of personal successes whether it’s trying a new activity, showing kindness, or achieving a personal goal. 

Another challenge has been engaging families who might feel hesitant about participating in nursery life. We found creating informal, accessible touchpoints like Learning Journals, home-link bags, and community events such as our community pantry has built trust and helped families feel welcome and supported. 

Adapting our practice to meet the needs of children with varied and complex communication needs has also been a learning journey. It has required ongoing professional development, trialling of different methods, and a willingness to adapt quickly. Approaches like TACPAC and Bucket Time have been instrumental, but their success has relied on staff commitment to continuous learning. 

Developing a safe and accessible outdoor space

One of our proudest achievements has been the transformation of outdoor learning for all children, including those with ASN. 

Through strong community partnerships, we worked with local rangers to make forest spaces safe and accessible. We’ve seen children who were initially hesitant outdoors begin to explore confidently, problem-solve, and develop independence. For some, the forest has become a place where they communicate more freely, try physical challenges, or form new friendships. 

Similarly, our edible schoolyard has been more than a gardening project, it’s been a sensory-rich, hands-on learning experience that promotes teamwork, responsibility, and healthy living. The children are immensely proud of their garden and eagerly share stories of their work with their families.  

What we’ve learned

If we could share one message with fellow practitioners, we would emphasise – inclusion isn’t a one off project, it’s a culture. It means listening to children and families, valuing their voices, reflecting honestly on practice, and adapting when needed. Our key lessons are:

Inclusion is an ongoing journey. Our Success Looks Different Award is a proud milestone, but every child’s unique story reminds us to keep evolving. For us, inclusion is not just about removing barriers—it’s about building bridges. 

Muirne Kolek is the Acting Team Leader with responsibility for ASN at the Early Learning Unit in Hamilton.  

Caitlin Milligan is the Team Leader with responsibility for ASN at the Early Learning Unit in Hamilton.

Image shows ELU Hamilton receiving their Success Looks Different (Early years) Award, presented by Sophie from Children in Scotland (R).

The Success Looks Different Awards were launched in 2022 as a chance for schools and early learning settings to showcase how they are celebrating all kinds of success, so that all pupils feel included, supported and celebrated. The awards were created by the Inclusion Ambassadors and are managed by Children in Scotland. For more information on the Success Looks Different Awards, and all of this years’ winners, visit https://childreninscotland.org.uk/inclusion-ambassadors-success-looks-different/