How inclusion can succeed in Hamburg's daycare centers

Hamburg, 12 January 2026. How can genuine inclusion be achieved in daycare centers? This question is gaining additional urgency in Germany in light of growing diversity and structural challenges. While approximately 41 percent of all daycare centers care for children receiving integration assistance (see Statista), at the same time, in many places, pedagogical staff are still not sufficiently prepared for the specific needs of neurodivergent children, which presents obstacles for those affected and their families.

Jenny Elisa Pabst, from Hamburg, investigated in her master's thesis at IU International University of Applied Sciences how Hamburg daycare center directors promote the diversity skills of their teams with regard to the inclusion of autistic children. Pabst will receive the IU Diversity Award 2025 for this work. This award is presented twice a year by IU and recognises outstanding theses that address diversity, equal opportunities, and social participation in a scientifically sound and practically relevant manner.

“With her work, Jenny Elisa Pabst makes an important contribution to the further development of inclusive practices in early childhood education. Her findings illustrate the key role that managers play with regard to inclusion and how they can contribute to it. Her work combines in-depth expertise with great professionalism and empathy,” explained Ariane Weber, staff member in the Equal Opportunities Office of IU International University of Applied Sciences and project manager of the IU Diversity Award, justifying the jury's decision.

Inclusive daycare centers need strong leadership.

The award-winning master's thesis by Jenny Elisa Pabst focuses on how managers in daycare centers can specifically promote the diversity skills of their staff in order to enable inclusive and discrimination-sensitive practices. The focus is on the inclusion of autistic children, who in everyday daycare life still face structural barriers as well as normative and sometimes discriminatory notions of "disability" and "autism."

The results of the master's thesis clearly show that daycare center directors play a key role . They act as multipliers between children, staff, the sponsoring organisation, and families, and can make a significant contribution to an inclusive organisational culture. At the same time, it becomes clear that Germany still has considerable ground to make up in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – particularly in the areas of accessibility and structural support.

Nevertheless, Pabst observes a positive development: "Societal understanding of autism and neurodiversity is growing noticeably."

Science, practice and personal perspective

Jenny Elisa Pabst's motivation for her thesis grew over several years. Even during her bachelor's degree in social work, she worked continuously in educational settings with neurodivergent children, completed internships, and participated in university research projects on equal opportunities for preschool children. She subsequently continued this commitment as a manager in an inclusive preschool. Currently, Pabst works in the preschool provider advisory service of the Hamburg BSFB (Association for Social Services and Family Support), advising preschool providers and childcare facilities, including on the topics of inclusion and autism.

Her empirical study is based, among other things, on interviews with daycare center directors who, despite high motivation, are often limited in their work by restricted time, personnel, and financial resources. These lack of resources can ultimately lead to barriers in the care of autistic children in daycare centers and restrict their access to childcare services. The work gains particular depth through its own neurodivergent perspective, which is reflected upon and professionally integrated into the research.