Inclusive Early Childhood Service System - Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)

Welcome!

The Inclusive Early Childhood Service System Project (IECSS) is a study that aims to understand disability in early childhood from the perspective of families.

More about IECSS

Most Recent Publications

Oluwaseun, S. E., Underwood, K., & Ineese-Nash, N. (2025). (PDF file) Disrupting disability in colonial contexts: Centering critical disability theory and community perspectives in Nigeria and Canada. (opens in new window) eceLINK.

Underwood, K., Balter, A-S., Duvage, T., Kollar, C., van Rhijn, T., & Jones, M. (2024). (PDF file) Understanding Speech-Language Pathology from the Standpoint of Families: A Systemic Analysis (opens in new window) . Social Sciences, 13(12), 656. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120656

Kollar, C., Sanderson, R., McKee, D. & Underwood, K. (2024). (PDF file) Policy Brief No. 14: Learning from the Yellowknife Evacuation of 2023: Climate Change, Childhood, and Northern Communities. Inclusive Early Childhood Service System project.

To view more publications, visit our Findings page

Research Matters... for Children

The Research Matters... for Children website was developed alongside the IECSS Youth Advisory Committee. This interactive website is available in ASL, English, French, and LSQ.

Click on the link to visit the Research Matters... for Children (opens in new window) website.

To learn more about the website launch, click here (opens in new window) .

Student Spotlight: Hafsah Patel

I had the privilege of completing my fourth-year placement with the IECSS project. This placement has been both a unique and rewarding experience. During my placement, I transcribed interviews and contributed to the mapping process. Through these tasks, I was able to learn about the real-life experiences of families navigating systems and services. It was eye-opening to learn about the challenges and barriers some families face while accessing or trying to access services, and this deepened my understanding of the importance of inclusive practices for children and families. It was incredible how much I learned from listening to the family's lived experiences. I believe that the work that the IECSS team is doing has a positive impact on the lives of families. It was an absolute pleasure to work with a supportive team here at the IECSS project.

To learn more, check out Our Team page!