At Keen Kidz, we believe that every child deserves to feel welcomed, valued, and celebrated for exactly who they are. Our commitment to inclusion and diversity isn’t just a policy on paper, it’s woven into our Waterford Montessori service and afterschool programme.
When families walk through our doors at the Ballygunner GAA Complex, they’re joining a community that reflects the beautiful diversity of Waterford itself. We’re proud to create a space where children from all backgrounds, abilities, and family structures can thrive together.
What Inclusion Means to Us
Inclusion at Keen Kidz goes far beyond simply opening our doors to all children. It means actively creating an environment where every child can participate fully in all aspects of our service. Whether that’s in our morning Montessori classrooms or our afterschool care.
We understand that each child arrives with their own unique strengths, challenges, interests, and ways of learning. Our child-led Montessori approach naturally supports this diversity, allowing children to explore and learn at their own pace, in ways that make sense to them.
Our team is trained in Hanen communication support, which means we can support children who communicate in different ways. Whether a child is verbal, non-verbal, learning English as an additional language, or uses alternative communication methods, we have the tools and training to ensure they can express themselves and connect with others.
Celebrating Diversity Every Day
Diversity enriches our setting in countless ways. When children learn alongside peers from different cultural backgrounds, family structures, and ability levels, they develop empathy, curiosity, and a broader understanding of the world around them.
In our Montessori Waterford service, you’ll find books, materials, and activities that reflect diverse families, cultures, and experiences. We celebrate various cultural festivals and traditions throughout the year, inviting families to share their own heritage and stories with our team and children.
Our team themselves bring diverse perspectives and experiences, which strengthens our ability to understand and support every family we work with. We recognise that there’s no single right way to raise a child, and we respect the values and approaches that each family brings.
Supporting Children with Additional Needs
We’re privileged to work with children with a wide range of additional needs, and we take this responsibility seriously. Through the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), we can access additional supports to ensure children with disabilities can participate fully in our ECCE programme.
Our curriculum is designed to be flexible and responsive. We work in partnership with parents, early intervention teams, and other professionals to create individual support plans that help each child reach their full potential. This collaborative approach means that everyone involved in a child’s development is working together towards shared goals.
Whether a child needs extra time to complete activities, benefits from visual supports, requires sensory breaks, or thrives with one-to-one attention for certain tasks, we adapt our approach to meet them where they are.
Creating a Sense of Belonging
One of the most important aspects of inclusion is ensuring that every child feels a genuine sense of belonging. This goes beyond physical access, it’s about emotional safety and social connection.
We pay close attention to the language we use, the displays on our walls, the stories we tell, and the examples we give. Children need to see themselves reflected in their learning environment. They also need to see and learn about people who are different from them.
Our Montessori materials and open-ended play experiences naturally encourage cooperation and mutual respect. Children learn to help one another, celebrate each other’s achievements, and understand that everyone has something valuable to contribute.
Family Partnership in Inclusion
Inclusion works best when families and educators work together. We value the expertise that parents bring. After all, you know your child better than anyone else.
From the moment you first contact us, we’re here to listen to your hopes, concerns, and questions. We encourage open, honest communication about what’s working well and what might need adjustment. Some children may need a gradual settling-in period, while others might jump right in. We follow each child’s lead and work with families to create a transition that feels right.
Our policies around inclusion and equality are available on our policies page, and we’re always happy to discuss how we put these into practice in our day to day work.
Staff Training and Development
Creating an inclusive environment requires ongoing learning and reflection. Our team regularly participates in professional development around inclusive practice, diversity awareness, and supporting children with additional needs.
We stay current with best practice guidelines from Túsla, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and Early Childhood Ireland. This ensures that our approach to inclusion evolves and improves over time.
Looking Forward
We’re continuously working to make Keen Kidz even more inclusive and welcoming. This means regularly reviewing our practices, listening to feedback from families, and being willing to adapt and grow.
Whether you’re searching for a trusted Montessori school in Waterford or afterschool services, we want you to know that inclusion isn’t an add-on or an afterthought here, it’s central to everything we do.
Every child, every day, matters. That’s not just our motto but it’s our promise to every family who trusts us with their child’s care and education.
Get In Touch
If you’d like to learn more about our approach to inclusion and diversity, or if you have specific questions about how we might support your child, we’d love to hear from you. You can reach our team at hello@keenkidz.ie or call us on 051 821732 / 085 743 7701. We’re always happy to arrange a visit so you can see our inclusive approach in action and meet the team who make it all possible!
