Academic shares expertise in early years education with international audience

The presentation, Gathering Young Children’s Unfiltered Thoughts about Disability’ was delivered as part of series of webinars for West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities and Pediatrics which is part of the 62-site Association of University Centers of Disability (AUCD) network. 

The presentation was based on a research paper written by Paula based on data collected by Millie Pottinger for her dissertation. Millie achieved a first classification in the BA (Hons) Childhood Studies with Applied Psychology in 2024 from the University and her dissertation focused on the use of diversity dolls to capture young children’s perceptions of disability.  

Drawing upon Millie's fieldwork, Paula, Programme Leader for the MA Social Justice and Globalisation in Education, utilised her on-going research in this area to generate a paper which focused on the importance of early years and primary school practitioners gaining an understanding of children’s early social biases so that they can build intervention programs which encourage children to examine and question concepts of ‘normalcy’ relating to the human body, social inequities and the harmful impact of stereotypes. The paper was published in the International Journal of Early Years Education, a prestigious childhood journal. 

Paula said: “Messages about disability, about how the human body should look and function, are regularly disseminated to children through media, toys, literature, and educational practices. In addition to ethnicity/race and gender, which are common features of diversity and inclusion programs in schools and early years settings, it is essential that young children have greater exposure of disability. This study demonstrated how by providing children with planned opportunities in safe discussion places, practitioners can unearth children's spontaneous thoughts about people with disabilities. The knowledge gained offers a foundation on which to address   children’s early social prejudices.” 

Lesley Cottrell, Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Director Center for Excellence in Disabilities at West Virginia University, said: “We were honored to have Paula Hamilton, an expert in children's advocacy and diversity education, present during the Ability Grand Rounds 2024-25 series, a programme sponsored by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities that aims to enhance international understanding of disability topics important to individuals, families, and societies. Her insights contributed significantly to our ongoing discussions on the future of disability services, knowledge sharing, and collaborative efforts.”