Jenny Elisa Pabst has been awarded the IU Diversity Award 2025 for her Master’s thesis at IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU). Her study asks a pressing question for early childhood education in Germany: how can day-care centres achieve genuine inclusion for autistic children amid growing diversity and limited resources?
Around 41% of day-care centres care for children receiving integration assistance. Yet many teams still report insufficient preparation to meet the needs of neurodivergent children, creating barriers for children and families.
Pabst’s research explores how day-care centre directors can strengthen their teams’ diversity competence and embed inclusive, discrimination-sensitive practice. Based on interviews with leaders across six of Hamburg’s seven districts, the findings highlight directors as key “multipliers” between children, staff, providers and families—while also pointing to ongoing gaps in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly regarding accessibility and structural support.
Pabst, who brings extensive professional experience and a reflected neurodivergent perspective, emphasises the link between evidence and everyday practice: research, she argues, should offer concrete support rather than “sit on a shelf”. She will now share insights through her advisory work with childcare providers in Hamburg.
More on IU’s equality and diversity work: https://www.iu.de/en/university/diversity/
