Kerry Murphy
Early Childhood Lecturer and Trainer
Kerry Murphy is an early year's specialist, author, lecturer and doctoral researcher whose work centres on neurodiversity-affirming practice, disability justice and inclusive pedagogy. She is the founder of Diverse Pathways for Early Childhood, a growing body of guidance, training and resources that challenge deficit-based models of child development and the SEND system. Kerry works closely with educators, local authorities, parents and carers to reframe behaviour, play, communication and regulation through strengths-led and relational lenses. She is currently completing an Educational Doctorate exploring how neurodiversity-affirming approaches can mobilise early educators to create more humanising experiences of education.
https://diversepathways.org/
Key Takeaways:
- Kerry is a specialist in supporting practitioners with children with SEND, particularly neurodivergent conditions.
- Kerry believes that the SEND system in the UK needs to be fully dismantled and reimagined to better support everyone.
- We are seeing a rise in diagnosis and identification of SEND conditions, but this is not unique to early education - this trend is reflected in older children, prisons and in wider society.
- If we are seeing a rise in SEND, at what point does our definition of "normal" have to change?
- Kerry advocates for a broader understanding of what it means to develop "normally". Humans are messy and complex, but we are working with a system that wants clear definitions.
- Two things can be true: early diagnosis and interventions are important in supporting individuals outside the group; but so is the inclusion of all children, regardless of their needs.
- Kerry talks about teachers working within the SEND system - and the importance of those small rebellions against it.
- Kerry empasises the importance of teaching and creating community in early years. This supports social development, while taking some of the burden off teachers.
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