Exclusion Is Being Normalized in Canadian Education — And Families Are Paying the Price

Across Canada, families of children and youth with learning and developmental differences are reporting a troubling pattern: exclusion from education is not rare, and it is not isolated. It is ongoing, embedded in practice, and increasingly normalized.

New findings from the National Exclusion Tracker (NET), a national tool that documents exclusion in childcare and K–12 education, suggest that many families experience barriers not as single incidents but as repeated and routine disruptions to access.

This normalization should concern all of us.

Exclusion Begins in the Early Years

One of the most alarming findings is that exclusion often starts before a child enters kindergarten.

Among families who submitted childcare reports to the NET, nearly two-thirds reported being unable to secure a childcare centre placement. This statistic reflects the experiences of families who completed the NET survey, not all families in Canada, but it signals a serious and consistent access barrier. We continue to hear from the families we serve about the devastating impact of these exclusions in the early years.  

This is particularly troubling because the early years are foundational for learning and development. Research consistently shows that early childhood is a critical period for:

• Language and communication development
• Social-emotional growth
• Cognitive skill building
• Early literacy and numeracy foundations
• Sense of belonging and identity

When children are excluded from childcare settings, they lose structured opportunities for interaction, play-based learning, and developmental support at a time when the brain is most responsive to experience.

Early exclusion does not simply delay access; it can alter developmental trajectories.

For families, being told that their child cannot be accommodated sends an early and damaging message: your child does not fit here.

For children, repeated encounters with unsupported and distressing experiences can quickly lead to the internalization of the message: ‘You do not belong.’ These negative experiences are often carried into future learning spaces, even before a family is asked not to return.  

In K–12, Exclusion Is Repetitive, Not Rare 

In elementary and secondary schools, exclusion is most often described as ongoing rather than a single event.

Families report practices such as:

• Shortened school days
• Being sent home early
• Being removed from the classroom regularly
• Being told not to attend during staffing shortages
• Gradual entry schedules that never transition to full-time attendance
• Loss of access to meaningful supports and learning opportunities

These forms of exclusion are reported far more frequently than formal suspension or expulsion. Because they are often framed as temporary or necessary adjustments, they can become normalized within school systems. Some families may not realize that the adversity their child faces at school is, in fact, exclusion.  

But repetition matters. When access is consistently partial, students lose more than instructional time. Families report three primary impacts on children:

1. Loss of learning and development opportunities
2. Reduced sense of belonging
3. Increased stress or anxiety

Belonging is not optional in education. It is foundational to engagement, confidence, and long-term success. When students experience repeated exclusion, even informally, the cumulative impact can be profound.

The Impact on Families Is Significant

Exclusion also places a serious strain on caregivers. Families report:

1. Increased stress and anxiety
2. Disruption of work and family life
3. Serious impacts on mental health and well-being

When a child is unable to access childcare or is sent home repeatedly from school, caregivers often reduce work hours, miss employment opportunities, or leave jobs entirely. The NET report indicates that approximately 45% of respondents reported household incomes under $80,000 per year, raising important questions about how exclusion intersects with economic vulnerability. As the recent BC Poverty Report Card states, “Most lone-parent households are female-led, and low wages and inadequate supports, such as childcare, keep these families stuck in poverty.”

While the NET findings reflect those who chose to report their experiences, the consistency of these reports suggests a broader systemic issue.

A National Commitment Requires a National Response

Canada has committed to inclusive education and accessible childcare. Yet the lived experiences documented through the National Exclusion Tracker reveal gaps between policy and practice.

As explored in Making Exclusion Visible and Standing in the Gap for Excluded Learners, families often find themselves negotiating for partial access rather than full inclusion. If shortened days become standard practice, if childcare placements are routinely denied, and if exclusion is treated as inevitable rather than urgent, then normalization has taken hold.

Inclusion must mean consistent, meaningful access, especially in the early years, when learning foundations are built, and trajectories are shaped. Families have made exclusions visible. The responsibility now lies with systems to respond. Inclusion must be more than a principle. It must be practiced every day for every learner.

To learn more about the National Exclusion Tracker or to share your experience, visit exclusiontracker.com.

– Sara Jane R. Walker, Senior Manager, Communications

LDS is a community of dedicated professionals who write collaboratively. We recognize the contribution of unnamed team members for their wisdom and input.