Unit 2.4: Legislations on equality, diversity
and inclusive practice
Definition of Equality and Diversity and inclusive practice
| Feature | Definition | Examples of promoting diversity in childcare setting | Give other examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diversity | Valuing and respecting differences between individuals and groups of people: Culture, religion, language, food, skin tones, abilities and special needs. |
Celebrate different religious festivals: Xmas, Hannuka, Diwali, Eid etc. Consider kids physical needs, size and height: have child size tables and chairs. Have dolls of different skin tones to reflect the multicultural society. |
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| Equality | Treating people fairly and giving them equal chances to support their lives. Understand people are unique and treat them fairly by accommodating their individual needs. Children in schools and care setting are given chances to engage in activities to promote learning and development. |
Allow girls to play with cars and boys to play with dolls. Toilets for disabled children. Have dolls of different skin tones to reflect the multicultural society. Have sand and spade activity on the table for a child in a wheel chair. Using sign language and pictures to tell a story to a child who is hard of hearing. |
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| Inclusion | Ensuring everyone has access to participation no one is excluded. Removing barriers to allow access to everyone to engage in activities or learning. Ensuring that everyone has a sense of belonging by feeling respected, valued and knowing you have the support from others to achieve personal potential. Ensuring support is given to people with special needs. |
Ensure that activities and games are designed to encourage everyone to engage
and does not discriminate against disability or language. Have sand and spade activity on the table for a child in a wheel chair. Using translators to communicate with children who speak little or no English. Incorporate music, food, stories from a range of culture. E. g. Ali and his cats, Natalina in Poland, Mangoes for snack or playing the Sitar. | ? |
| Prejudice | Making unfair judgement about person or group of people without knowing the facts. | Stereo ? typing people based on their culture, religion or ability. Vegetarians only eat vegetables. Disables people are not able to work. |
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| Discrimination | Treating someone more or less favourably than other people. Recruiting more male than women in the army or police force. Laying off part-time workers. |
Not allowing girls to play with trains and not allowing boys to play with dolls. Not involving disabled children to participate in sport activities. |
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| Type of discrimination | Examples | Give another example |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Not allowing boys to cook or girls to play football. | ? |
| Race | Refusing to enrol children in the nursery from different cultural background. | ? |
| Disability | Failing to provide disabled toilets or wheel ramps in the premises. | ? |
| Age | Having bicycles or slides in the setting for older children only. | ? |
| Religion | Not allowing girls from certain religious group to cover their bodies modestly for P.E or sport activity. | ? |
| Sexual orientation | Not inviting homo sexual parents to events in schools or nursery settings. | ? |
Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination happens when a child, an adult or a group of people are treated less favourably than others; it can be either deliberate or unintentional.
Examples:
- If an early years practitioner job was only open to female applicants.
- A nuursery only allowed girls to play with dolls and not cars.
- Coach driver refusing to take a disabled child on a school trip.
Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination occurs when a child, an adult or a group of people is disadvantaged more than another; it can be either deliberate or unintentional.
Example:
- Fewer male teachers are recruited in primary schools.
- Seldom men are recruited as practitioners in childcare settings.
- Absence of ramps or disabled toilets for the disabled people.
- Failure to provide suitable resources to promote language development in children from a different culture /country.
Potential effects of discrimination
Children who are discriminated maybe prevented from developing personally, socially and emotionally; this in turn may have an impact on them in adult hood. They may experience the following:- Lack confidence in engaging with activities
- Feel useless and feel their input is unvalued - Have low self-esteem
- Unable to interact with others or make friends with others
Legislations and government initiatives that protect
people from discrimination:
- Equality Act 2010 - Replaces all previous legislations on equalities.
The legislation gives everyone protection from the following discrimination: age, disability, race, religion,
sex, gender assignment, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy or maternity and
sexual orientations.
- Special Education Needs and Disability Act 2001
- Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs 2002
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
- Human Rights Act 1998
Policies and procedures relating to equality diversity
and inclusive practice
- Equal opportunity policy - in the care setting every child and adult must treated equally and fairly and not be discriminated against
gender, disability, age, ethnicity, race, religion, skin colour and marital status.
Example of an equality policy:
- Early years practitioner must be aware of the national legislation and how it informs policies and procedures in the setting relating to children?s rights.
- Training should be provided to all early years practitioner to explain how the policies can have impact on the children and the setting.
Read the equality policy in your setting, to find out more
- Practising diversity policy:
The childcare setting and all the staff must awareness of other cultures, respect and value the diversity which exists in the wider community. They must be committed to challenging attitudes that promote discrimination.
How does your setting show that they respect all children from different cultures?
- Special educational needs policy
All childcare settings and schools must make provisions for children with special needs such as suitable materials or equipment, access to facilities, one-to-one support in helping children engage in activities and interact with other children.
Find out from your setting what other support or facilities is offered to children with special needs.
Identify other policies in your setting relating to equality, diversity and inclusive practice.
Role of EYP in supporting equality, diversity and inclusive practice
- having knowledge of legislations, policies and procedures in childcare setting
- Demonstrate equality, diversity and inclusion in the setting
- Being aware of discriminatory practice in your setting and challenging discrimanatory behaviour
- Learning about other cultures and respecting differences
- Respecting yourself and others alike
- Teaching children to respect each other
How EYP can support children's play, learning and development
- Use pictures, gestures and symbols to facilitate meaningful participation of children learning English or for those hard of hearing.
- Use special resources to stimulate children with sensory impairment.
- Include activities such as art, music or dancing which do not require speech, but allows children to fully engage.
- Celebrate all children's achievement.
- Create opportunities to expose children to diversity, for example trips to museums, theatre or cultural cuisine.
Can you think of any other ideas to support children's participation?
Plan an activity that involves story telling and how you would deliver it and get children to engage as well. consider a child may be with a sensory disability and who speaks no English.
Helping children to have a sense of belonging and
form positive image of people
- Sing nursery rhymes in other languages with the help of parents or staff from different ethnic groups
- Tell stories in English and in another language with the help of parents or staff from different ethnic groups
- Play music from different cultures
- Dressing - role play - have clothes that reflect differnt cultures e.g Indian saris,mexican hat or Japanese robe
- Introduce children to music and dancing from different cultures e.g. Ballet dancing, japanese dancing, African dancing
- classical music or you have Lion King reflect african cultures music, song and animals which children love.
- Have dolls of different skin tones and have action man dolls for the boys and girls to play with.
- Meals: chappatis, rice, spaghetti, noodles, curries stews, mash potatoes, lasagne etc.
REFERENCES
DFE (2017) Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2
DFE (2014) Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/eyfs-statutory-framework/
Every Child Matters (2003)
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130403155730/https://www.education.gov.uk/
publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DfES/1081/2004
Early learning and childcare
https://www.education.gov.uk
Caroline Meggit & Tina Bruce (2014) CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator. Hodder Education:London
Caroline Meggit (2011) CACHE Level 3 Children & Young People's Workforce Certificate. Hodder Education:London
Tassoni et al (2014) Level 3 Early Year Educator. Pearson: Harlow Essex
Tassoni et al (2011) Level 3 Certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce. Pearson: Harlow Essex
www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-childcare-and-early-education
www.education.gov.uk/publications
www.foundationyears.org.uk.
www.legislation.gov.uk/
www.4children.org.uk