The SKATE project aims to impact on the quantity and quality of inclusive early childhood education in the countries involved in the project (and beyond), by generating knowledge on the appropriate use of digital and mostly innovative technologies in early childhood education and by disseminating this knowledge through multiplier events and publications. An important starting point is the growing presence of children with disabilities or emerging disabilities in mainstream pre-primary school. The project responds to European ECEC teachers’ needs to be supported in gearing innovative technology as resource for inclusive education and the Skate project will deploy innovative resources from the field experience of Assistive Technology centres, EU and national policies fostering the take up of digital technologies in inclusive education, and the wide experience of participating organisations. Educators and teachers have a key role to play in responding to these challenges, but very often there are barriers (lack of knowledge & digital skills among teachers, lack of resources, fear for change, consolidated practice vs complexity of innovation) preventing the development of meaningful experiences with technology in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Combining these aspects, the SKATE (Skills & Knowledge on (Assistive) Technology in EarlyChildhood Inclusive Education) project will be pursuing and achieving the following objectives:-To foster new skills and knowledge of teachers/educators for the appropriate use of technology/digital solutions to create an increasingly inclusive learning environment (but not technology as a goal in itself and at all cost);-To increase the quality of ECEC as delivered by the partners and other schools by promoting on an as needs basis early intervention with appropriate assistive technology for children with special needs or at risk of exclusion (leaving no one behind).SKATE target groups are:- Pre-primary school teachers/educators from mainstream education in Belgium, Italy, Cyprus and Republic of North Macedonia- Responsible pedagogical managers of pre-primary schools.- Children with disabilities and their families and professionals in health and social care.- The wider European community for the promotion of inclusive education.The partnership composed by two Universities, two assistive technology providers and one NGO working within a network of ECEC services providers will develop and implement activities and researchs leading to the definition of guidelines, learning programmes and toolkits for educators, teachers, school managers and parents. Following a state of the art analysis and an assessment of needs at all levels and among primary stakeholders (IO1), technology enabled strategies and tools will be designed and developed for the empowerment of European pre-primary schools and their staff, the whole group of children as well as single learners within special needs. This will involve the deployment of smart toys, sensor technology, simulated environments, robots, kinematics, etc., as well as specific assistivetechnologies, such as those based on eye gazing, voice control and movement tracking. The toolkit (IO2) will be helpful to those that wish to increase the level ofinclusion and improve the general educational service performance and its readiness for the future.SKATE will further develop a competency framework for those excelling in technology enhanced inclusive education and learning programmes that, informed and guided by the framework, respond to identified needs (IO3). The project will realise then the following Outputs:1)Mapping, assessment and innovative approaches on inclusive technology for ECEC2)Guidelines Inclusive classrooms for ECEC teachers3)Toolkit: competency framework, learning programmes and assessment methodologiesThe implementation of the activities and outputs will be able to reach the following impacts:• Professionalisation of staff as a key element of creating an attractive, sustainable and highly competent profession.• Social inclusion: narrowing skill gaps between children of different backgrounds (including also children with special needs)• Promoting the professionalisation of ECEC staff in delivering assistive technology • Developing policies to attract, educate enhance qualified staff in ECEC• Moving towards ECEC systems which integrate care and education, and improve quality, equity and system efficiency• Facilitating the transition of SEN children between family and education/care, and between levels of education• Ensuring quality assurance: designing coherent, well-coordinated pedagogical frameworks,• Involving key stakeholdersThe long-term sustainability of activities and products is ensured by the acquisition and deployment of outputs and methodologies by participating organisations, involved ECEC services and stakeholders. All the products will be freely available as OER.