Disability inclusion for early childhood care and development: the twin-track approach

Since 2015, the global health community, through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has committed to promoting equitable early childhood care and development that fosters inclusive education and lifelong learning for all children under the age of 5. Whereas several global policies on disability-inclusion recommend a twin-track approach to support people with disabilities, the application of this approach for children with disabilities in early childhood is unclear. In this article, we examine the concept of inclusion for children with disabilities in early childhood and how to address the inequalities they face through the globally recommended twin-track approach. We highlight key components of this approach for optimizing school readiness for children with varying severities of disability. We offer recommendations for addressing potential barriers to disability inclusion, based on evidence from multiple sources, and emphasize the need for a globally coordinated strategy to advance the global vision and commitments for children with disabilities.