Sustaining Warm and Inclusive Transitions across the Early Years (START project). Final report with implications for policies and practices, ERI, Ljubljana

In the last decade, the issue of educational transition has increasingly gained importance in European debate at both pedagogical and political level. Studies conducted in EU Member States show that positive experiences of transition between educational levels can be a crucial factor in fostering children’s development and school success, while negative experiences can produce difficulties leading to under-achievement. This seems to be especially the case for children and families from migrant backgrounds or belonging to vulnerable social groups, since the way in which transitions are managed tends to unintentionally favour children from more advantaged backgrounds, i.e. families. Thereby, investigating transition practice with a particular focus on diversity and social inequalities becomes compelling so as to achieve more equitable educational outcomes.

The report brings the findings of a transnational participatory action-research study (START) that involved four countries (Italy, Slovenia, England, Belgium) through an Erasmus+ project. Practitioners and researchers have collaborated in order to foster inclusive transitions across the early years, with specific attention to children facing complex family situations, hence being at ‘risk of social exclusion’.

Focus of the publication:

- educational transition;

- ECEC quality;

- families/children with vulnerable background