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IELA

Welcome to IELA, The Inclusion and Equity Leadership Association. We champion equity, diversity and inclusion and highlight the benefits of inclusive organisations.

We offer advice and guidance, the latest information and news and support with policies and compliance. IELA supports excellence in equity and inclusion work and actively advocates for change through training, resources, networking, consultancy work and much more.

Membership

IELA represents all educational settings, including schools, colleges and universities, charities, organisations, corporate companies and businesses in the UK and world-wide. We invite all to access our services and show their commitment to EDI by becoming a member.
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CPD & Events

IELA provides regular opportunities for members to develop their knowledge and understanding and to support commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion with forums, seminars, webinars, accredited training courses, conferences and more. We cover a range of necessary and relevant topics to enable progression within EDI.
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Advice & Guidance

IELA provides advice and guidance services to all of our members on their EDI journey. We deliver support on key issues surrounding Equity, Diversity and inclusion. From looking at government legislation with an EDI lens to supporting you on an individual basis with queries and questions. We support you with tools and strategies to make the best choices with EDI at heart.
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14
Jan
Online
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Empowering and supporting girls though an EDI lens

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22
Sep
Accredited Training
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

IELA Certificate in Identifying and Removing Barriers to Learning: Belonging, Equity and Inclusion

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13
May
Accredited Training
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Professional Certificate in Inclusive Practice

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27
Aug
Online
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 Update + Box Set

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18
Sep
Online
10:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Preparing for the implementation of the SEND White paper

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10
Sep
Online
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Compliance focus: Update your SEND and EDI-related policies

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09
Oct
Online
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Audit. Plan. Transform: Your School’s EDI Journey joint with BSA

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08
Oct
Online
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Legal compliance: The Equality Act in practice

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04
Nov
Online
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Supporting boys to thrive

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11
Nov
Online
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Global perspectives on inclusion: Europe and rest of the world

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Posted: 1 Jul 2026

BSA Group announces rebrand

BSA Group, which comprises several associations and subsidiaries including IELA, has announced a new trading name of Abitas Group. The new name is accompanied by an updated mission statement: “Supporting young people, adults and organisations to be safe, well and included.” And a new address: 50 Princes Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 1RJ. “Our new identity as Abitas Group better represents who we are today and the wide range of services we provide,” said Robin Fletcher, CEO. “As our work...

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Posted: 1 Jul 2026

Reflecting on the last year: EDI in a shifting world – and signs of…

The past ten months have been a complex period for equity, diversity and inclusion worldwide. Headlines have swung between progress and pushback, with global institutions rethinking their commitments, political narratives hardening in some regions, and public debate becoming sharper and more polarised. For those working in education, this hasn’t been a distant conversation. It has shaped classrooms, staffrooms and governing boards in very real ways.  Across the education sector, schools and universities have felt the ripple effects of...

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Posted: 17 Apr 2026

BSA Group expands safeguarding support for members

To strengthen BSA’s safeguarding support for schools, specialist consultancy and training provider The Athena Programme has become part of BSA Group. Founded by Dr Sarah Carlick, The Athena Programme supports a wide range of UK customers through a team of expert associates and staff. Through The Athena Programme, BSA will extend its safeguarding training and consultancy for member schools, further supporting excellence in boarding. The Athena Programme announcement is BSA...

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Posted: 20 Mar 2026

New Edinburgh Zoo partnership aims to boost inclusive employment in Scotland

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has announced a partnership with Down’s Syndrome Scotland to create new employment opportunities at Edinburgh Zoo. As a first step, two adults with Down’s syndrome will join the zoo’s admissions and retail teams later this year. Ben Supple, deputy chief executive of the wildlife conservation charity, said the partnership, which has been launched during Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week (16 – 22 March), will...

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Posted: 18 Mar 2026

The primary class where ASN pupils adapt to school

Scotland’s schools are struggling to cope with a growing number of children who have additional support needs (ASN). Almost 300,000 Scottish school pupils (43%) are now categorised as having ASN, with the vast majority in mainstream schools. A report published by Janie McManus, the former chief inspector of education, on Thursday revealed there is a “growing gap” between the support ASN children need and what is happening in practice. It...

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Posted: 4 Mar 2026

IELA blog: Celebrating Women’s History Month while confronting violence against women and girls

Women’s History Month is a time of celebration. We honour pioneers, changemakers, leaders, artists, scientists, mothers, daughters, and visionaries who have shaped our communities and our world. We tell stories of resilience and achievement that were too often ignored or erased. We amplify voices that refused to be silenced. Women’s History Month is also a time for truth. Woven through women’s history, across countries, cultures, and centuries, is another reality:...

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Posted: 26 Feb 2026

What the Schools White Paper Means for SEND: Key Reforms Explained

The government’s Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, sets out significant reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. The proposals aim to create a more consistent, inclusive, and accountable framework for supporting children and young people with additional needs.  Here’s what you need to know about the SEND section and what it could mean for schools, families and local authorities.  A New Baseline of Support for All Pupils with...

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Posted: 23 Feb 2026

IELA Podcast: Episode 6 LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools

Welcome to the very first mini podcast series by the Inclusion, Equity and Leadership Association, also known as (IELA). This series is called The IELA Exchange: Conversations about Inclusion. In episode 6 we explore LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools. Host: Gaelle Sullivan, Director of Research, Inclusion and IELA Guest speaker: Henry Hudson, Director of People Change Minds

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Posted: 20 Feb 2026

Teen psychiatric patients felt ‘belittled and bullied’ – report

SOURCE: BBC NEWS   A report into Scotland’s biggest children’s psychiatric hospital has found “significant concerns” about the treatment of patients still existed months after a documentary exposed a culture of cruelty among nursing staff. BBC Disclosure’s Kids on The Psychiatric Ward, which aired in February last year, spoke to 28 former patients of Skye House in Glasgow, who told how some nurses called them “pathetic” and “disgusting” – and even...

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Posted: 19 Feb 2026

Samba schools honor Black Brazilian female authors during their Carnival parades

Source: Samba schools honor Black Brazilian female authors during their Carnival parades RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Samba and literature rarely share the same stage, but at this year’s Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, two samba schools used their parades to tell the stories of Black Brazilian female authors. It’s an unusual recognition of writers who have been historically marginalized due to their race and gender. On Saturday, 79-year-old Conceição Evaristo,...

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Membership

IELA represents all educational settings, including independent and state schools, colleges and universities, charities, organisations, corporate companies and businesses in the UK and world-wide.

Find out more about Membership here.

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