The main aim of this project was to develop a joint innovation partnership-learning network called JIP4L (Joint Innovation Partnership for Learning) with a focus on generation and exchange of collective knowledge around the Partnering for Change service delivery model (P4C) and capacity building to combat exclusion and inequality for all children. By putting P4C in practice, we have used the lived experiences of involved stakeholders as a starting point for collaboration, and built the JIP4L network. The following sub-objectives were formulated: • To identify and describe the capacity building in P4C partnership between teacher and occupational therapist to enable inclusion, belonging and diversity; • To develop support tools (resource pack) to enable partnership processes. • To understand how P4C can contribute to inclusive education, generation of collective new knowledge around Partnering for Change to combat exclusion and inequality for all children, and disseminate new knowledge.
In the EU 28% of children (0-15 years) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion (Eurostat, 2021). Children with a social disadvantage, language/communication weakness, disability or other disadvantage experience difficulties in school activities; they run the risk of exclusion and/or not belonging. The majority of teachers favor inclusive education; however, they experience a high workload as well as a lack of skills and knowledge to support the diversity of children's in the classroom effectively (Dignath et al., 2022; Forlin et al., 2014). The degree of diversity in classes at primary schools has grown and teachers in and outside the Parkstad region (NL) clearly express that they lack the right knowledge and skills to respond to the current diversity of children. In Sweden, the risk of poverty between foreign-born children and native children has increased significantly; one in three of non-EU-born residents are estimated to be at risk of poverty (Gustafsson et al., 2018). Parents’ socio-economic status is strongly associated with how big the poverty gap is. To cope with increasing diversity in primary school classrooms new approaches and partnerships are warranted.