Kathryn Underwood
Dr. Kathryn Underwood is a professor in the School of Early Childhood Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University. Dr. Underwood’s interests are in disabled children and their families’ experiences and contributions to our understanding of social services, social life, and society. The focus of her program of research has been on how constructions of disability in early childhood programs and care, early intervention, and health and social service contexts are used to organize children, with particular interest in intersectional identities of all disabled children. Dr. Underwood has conducted a number of studies that focus on parent viewpoints and the work of families to engage with institutions.
Teaching responsibilities:
- CS 8901: Research for Early Childhood Studies
- CLD 445: Inclusion and Consultation
- CLD 435 Theory and Practice of Family Support
- DST 503: Rethinking Disability in Education
- S18: Prevention science and disability studies: Strategies, programs and monitoring (University of Zagreb)
Teaching interests:
- Disabled childrens’ childhood studies
- Inclusive early childhood education, care and intervention
- Curriculum theory and evaluation
- Social justice in early childhood and education contexts
- Family support
Research Interests:
- Disabled children’s childhood studies
- Early years service system planning and evaluation (esp. resource consultation and family support)
- Equity and inclusion for young children and their families
- Institutional ethnography
- Access justice for children and families
Current Research Projects:
Project |
Role |
Funding Information |
Inclusive Early Childhood Service System Project (2014-25) |
Project Director |
|
Disability in Education: Sustainability of an Inclusive Africa (2023-24) |
PI: Rinaldi, J. Co-Applicants: Kissi, E., Ewan, A., Parekh, G., Underwood, K. |
SSHRC Connections ($50k).
|
Enhancing equity in Ontario elementary education (2023-24) |
PI: Patel, S. Co-Applicants: Brady, J., Butler, A., Davies, A., Dei, G. S., Ng-A-Fook, N., Shah, V., Underwood, K. |
SSHRC Connections ($50k) |
Critical Transitions: Identifying key factors shaping students’ elementary, secondary, and post-secondary pathways (2014-2025) |
PI: Parekh, G. (York University) Co-Investigator: Underwood, K. |
SSHRC Insight Grant |
- McShane, K. (host) (2022-23) Inclusive Beginnings. IECSS Podcast Series. [https://www.torontomu.ca/inclusive-early-childhood-service-system/findings/podcasts0/]
- IECSS Youth Advisory Committee (2022). Research Matters for Children (children’s book) (2022). (S K. Dymant, Illus. & A. Cheung, designer with Abneet Atwal, Project Coordinator and K. Underwood, Project Director). https://www.torontomu.ca/researchmatters/
- Church, K., Underwood, K. and Vorstermans, J. (2018). Tensions in disabled childhoods [photo exhibit]. Toronto, Canada.
Websites
- IECSS Youth Advisory Committee (2022). Research Matters for Children (S.K. Dyment, Illus.). Inclusive Early Childhood Service System (IECSS) project. https://www.torontomu.ca/researchmatters/ with Abneet Atwal, Project Coordinator and K. Underwood, Project Director and the IECSS team
- IECSS (n.d.). The Inclusive Early Childhood Service System Project. www.InclusiveEarlyChildhood.ca (external link) [K. Underwood, Project Director with the IECSS team]
- Underwood, K. & Feltham, L.E. (2018). Inclusion and Consultation: Activities for Teaching about Disability and Education, Toronto Metropolitan University.
- Adjunct Faculty, York University, Faculty of Graduate Studies (2021-2023)
- Visiting Scholar, Massey College, 2020/2021
- Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award, 2019
- Scholarly, Research and Creative Activity Award, Faculty of Community Services, 2012