equality, diversity and rights

1UNIT 1: EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND RIGHTS IN EARLY YEARS WORK

Equality, diversity and rights in early years work

Introduction

This unit introduces the concepts of equality, diversity and rights. These

concepts form the foundation of your work with young children and their

families. Some of the language used may be new to you, so each time you see a

new word look it up so that you understand precisely what it means. As your

understanding of equality, diversity and rights grows, you will see that these

important concepts are integral to the way in which early years settings and early

years practitioners provide their services.

How you will be assessed

This unit is assessed internally.

U N I T

1

What you need to learn

1 The meaning of diversity in today’s society

2 The importance of equality, diversity and rights in early years services

3 How early years services can recognise and promote equality, diversity and rights

4 Promoting equality, diversity and rights in your own early years practice

1 The meaning of diversity in today’s societywith many different languages, ethnic groups andcultures. There are many aspects of diversity, ordifference, but those most commonly recognisedare described in the following table.

2 BTEC NATIONAL EARLY YEARS

Terminology used in this unitEquality – In our society, equality is about fairness and ensuring people have the same rightsregardless of their background or who they are. Any society that ensures its people have equalchances and equal treatment is building for its future by encouraging equality of opportunity forall.

Diversity is about differences, such as differences in gender, disability, race, age, culture,religion, social class, child-rearing practices, appearance, employment status or sexuality.Differences enrich our society and make it an exciting and challenging place to be.

Rights are what we are entitled to as members of society. Our society recognises that rightsoften come with responsibilities. For example, we have a right to live in peace, but acorresponding responsibility to be peaceful ourselves. These rights are sometimes called ‘moralrights’ and are based on ideas about what is right or wrong, fair or unfair and just or unjust.

DIFFERENCE COMMENT

Gender In the past men had more rights than women and were seen as moreimportant. Women still earn less than men for similar work and find difficulty in breaking through the ‘glass ceiling’ to the most senior positionsat work. There are far more derogatory terms, such as ‘slag’, used to describe women than men.

Race and ethnicity People categorise themselves and others based on race and ethnicity, such as being black or white, European or Asian. Many people in our society stillplace a preference on white skin and Western European background, andderogatory terms for black people are still used. Ethnic origin is differentfrom race and usually covers a shared history, social customs and commonancestry.

Culture All of us have a cultural background – activities, beliefs, values, knowledgeand ideas shared by a group of people. White, middle-class culture stilldominates the media and is often seen as more valuable. People feel morecomfortable with others of a similar cultural background and groups whohold power and influence in society tend to value others like themselves.

Place of origin Immigration into the UK has been taking place throughout our history.Waves of immigrants have come here from many countries of the world andhave chosen to settle here. Today is no exception and many are here fleeingfrom persecution, war and disruption in their home countries, or simply tomake a better life for themselves. Some groups have formed significantcommunities in different parts of the UK, whereas others are more integratedinto our society. We are now part of an enlarged European Union and manyimmigrants to the UK are now coming from countries right across Europe.These people have a right to be here and to work in the UK.

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Diversity is about the differences betweenpeople – you need to understand this in order topractise in early years and childcare settings.Contemporary British society today is diverse,


DIFFERENCE COMMENT

Beliefs People are brought up with varying religious backgrounds. Religion is closelylinked with culture. In the UK there is religious freedom and people areallowed to practise their religion without fear of prejudice. But criticism of areligion is often used as a cover for prejudice. As early years practitioners wehave a duty to respect the beliefs that children and families hold.

Values Values are held by all of us – they are the beliefs and moral principles bywhich we live. We are likely to share many of the values of our society, suchas respect for human life and opposition to murder, but there is lessagreement on other issues, such as capital punishment for people whocommit murder. We need to make sure our values do not lead us to makenegative judgments about other people.

Age Youth is generally valued above old age, although the very young are alsooften not valued. There are problems for older people in employment and inrelation to issues such as health care.

Health status People with illnesses are often made to feel different and outsidemainstream society. This is especially true for mental health problems. People can also be treated differently if they are seen as somehow beingresponsible for their situation, such as with diseases like AIDS or lung cancer.

Physical ability People have different levels of physical ability, ranging from those who aresuper fit and physically able to those who may have severe physicaldisabilities which hinder them in taking a full part in our society. Peoplemake assumptions about disability and make negative judgements aboutthose who are seen as disabled. The ‘social model’ of disability is one whichsees the problems as lying in society’s lack of provision for disabled people,who could achieve substantially more given the right support. Another viewis the ‘medical model’ which concentrates on the person’s disability and seesthem as a ‘condition’ rather than as a whole person with the ability toachieve. In early years settings the ‘social model’ is the one that is used, as itencourages us to look at the whole child, regardless of their physical ability,and help them to achieve as best they can.

Learning needs People learn differently and have different abilities. Children with specialeducational needs learn differently from most children of the same age.These children may need extra or different help from that given to otherchildren.

Economic status This refers to a person’s income or wealth, and so can also refer to differences insocial background, education, income or lifestyle. Assumptions are made aboutpeople who are poor or have a limited lifestyle. People who are employed areoften valued above those who are unemployed, regardless of the reasons. Oneof the first questions people ask each other is ‘What do you do?’.

Family structure This refers to differences in family or social relationships, such as lone parents or same sex relationships. These are often not valued as much asheterosexual relationships and two-parent families. Even today divorced,separated or single people are often made to feel different.

Language English is seen as the UK’s mainstream language, but Welsh is also amainstream language with a statutory basis. Children in Wales are routinely taught Welsh in state schools and many are essentially bilingual.Some children are multilingual, speaking a variety of home languages,

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The table can only include broad categories.For example, the category ‘gender’ is a broad termbut we all know there are huge differencesbetween men and other men, and women andother women. The main lesson is that thesimilarities between us are usually greater thanthe differences and we should always see peopleas individuals rather than as part of a particulargroup. We are all different. Also, it is importantnot to judge by appearances, as people withhidden disabilities, such as autism, deafness ormental health problems, may look just like anyoneelse. This can lead to reverse discrimination,where people with real needs are overlookedbecause they look like everyone else.

It is important that we do not judge people whoare ‘different’ from us as either inferior or lackingin some way. Our society, in common with mostothers, values particular characteristics. Thesemessages are often not deliberate but are picked up


DIFFERENCE COMMENT

Language (contd.) as well as English and Welsh. Languages other than English or Welsh areoften seen as less important, but in early years settings all children’slanguages should be valued and respected.

Accents Within the UK there are a number of regional accents. Sometimes these aremocked and judged as ‘inferior’, although this is less likely to happen than 20years ago. People who have English as an additional language may also haveaccents based on their first language.

Sexuality Being a gay man or lesbian woman is a difference. Homosexual relationshipsare often not valued as much as heterosexual relationships, and can sufferprejudice.

Codes of People have different codes of behaviour according to their beliefs, values behaviour and backgrounds. People may have different codes of behaviour for

different aspects of their lives. For example, people who live quiet and law-abiding lives may behave differently at football matches or when withcertain friends. As early years practitioners, it is important to make sure ourbehaviour at work is highly professional at all times and adheres to thepolicies and procedures of the setting. Its also important to remember thatour work is in a regulated setting and requires the confidence of parents and families. Therefore our behaviour outside of work may also affect ourwork status.

Families with a This refers to families who may have been in trouble with the law. Many history of children are punished for their families’ offending behaviour by being offending separated from their parents or looked after by the state. It is important to

remember that children who come from families with a history of offendingshould not be labelled or viewed as potential offenders themselves. Somefamilies may require high degrees of support from early years services.

The UK is multicultural and early yearspractitioners are responsible for helping allchildren to recognise and appreciate diversity.

by young children from their families and theworld around them and reinforced throughout lifeby experiences, influential people and the media.

For many of us, learning about diversity andrelating to those who are different can be stressful,as we may feel that our own culture and valuesare under threat. We need to be aware of this andbe willing to see the benefits of diversity in oursociety and in the workplace.

30 per cent were in households of working agenot containing children

✱ income poverty increased in the 1980s and1990s, from 13 per cent in 1979, to 25 per centin 1996/97 and to 21 per cent by 2003/04.

Children in poverty have lower educationalattainments. In 2004 in England, 56.1 per cent ofchildren not receiving free school meals got five ormore GCSEs at grades A to C. This was double therate (26.1 per cent) of children in receipt of freeschool meals. Children’s health is also affected:children of manual workers are five times morelikely to die in accidents.The leaflet states that the causes of equality are

as follows.

✱ High income inequality. In 2003/04, thepoorest fifth of the population had a medianincome (the mid-point of incomes in thisgroup) of £128 a week; for the richest fifth thiswas £616, nearly five times as much.

✱ Worklessness. In 2003/04, 1.5 million peoplelived in households where either the head orspouse were unemployed. A total of 6.0 millionindividuals lived in households where adults


Re-read the section on pages 2–5 on diversity.

Develop a leaflet for other students explainingthe different elements of diversity.

Assessment activity 1.1

Think it over...

Jo is a seven-year-old girl with cerebral palsy. Herfamily are black and live on a South Londonhousing estate with their three other children.

• In pairs, discuss your initials feelings andthoughts about Jo and her family. What sortof life do you think she has? Whatassumptions do you make?

In fact both Jo’s parents are lawyers and shelives in a private estate of large detachedhouses. Jo’s cerebral palsy is very mild. Jo is agifted musician and academically alreadyperforming at the highest level. She has twinelder sisters and an elder brother, all of whomare devoted to her.

2 The importance of equality, diversity and rights inearly years servicesEquityEquity is about fairness, natural justice, and beingimpartial and reasonable. Many people will use theterm equity in the same way as they would talkabout equality. The principle of equity is veryimportant and should be the hallmark of a civilised,mature society. British society, through its laws andpractices, supports the view that fairness, toleranceand equity are important moral principles. A societythat is not based on principles of equity will be anunequal and divided society. But even wheresociety, at least in its laws and constitution, supportsequity, there are still many gaps between rich andpoor. Equity is not just about poverty but, if youare poor, you suffer most from a range of differentproblems and deprivations.

The Child Poverty Action Group published, in2005, a summary leaflet called Poverty: the Facts.This leaflet states that:

✱ children face a higher risk of income poverty.In 2003/04 28 per cent of children (3.5 million)were poor

✱ of all those income poor in 2003/04, 19 percent were pensioner households, 52 per centwere in households containing a child and

of working age were not working (for reasonsincluding ill health and caring responsibilities).

✱ Inadequate safety net. In 2005/06, ‘safety net’benefits and tax credits were worth around£192 a week for a couple with children aged5 and 11 – £80 less than the poverty line (£272,uprated from 2003/04). For a lone parent withchildren aged 5 and 11 the safety net wasworth £160, some £29 less than the poverty lineof £189.

Groups of people at greater than average risk ofexperiencing poverty are identified as follows.

✱ Where the head of the family or their spousewere unemployed – in these cases 78 per centof people in such families were income poor.

✱ 19 per cent of white people were income poor,while 58 per cent of Pakistani and Bangladeshipeople and 40 per cent of black or black Britishpeople were income poor.

✱ 47 per cent of those in lone parent householdswere income poor, compared to 23 per cent ofsingle people without children. For thosehouseholds containing children, 20 per centwere income poor compared to 11 per centwhere there were no children. For pensionercouples, 20 per cent were income poor.

The Child Poverty Action group is a campaigninggroup to help our poorest children and familiesand is a rich source of information.

It is clear that, despite efforts to bring about amore equitable society, there is still a long way togo. It remains to be seen whether thegovernment’s agenda for social inclusion, and amore equal society with better public services forall, will be achieved.


Many children grow up in poverty in the UK.

Recently the government has introduced a major strategy for reform of services for children, young people and their families called‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’. This includes an extensive overhaul of the way services are provided. The programmeidentifies five key outcomes for children. Theseare:

• being healthy

• staying safe

• enjoying and achieving

• making a positive contribution

• economic well-being.

KEY ISSUES

ToleranceBritish society is widely regarded as a society thattolerates the beliefs and opinions of others.

Although there are people who hold intolerantviews, our laws and way of life mean that most ofsociety is open minded and tolerant of differences.Being tolerant of others and of differencesbetween people is an important principle in earlyyears services.

Think it over...

Imagine you are a young Asian woman in a busqueue and everyone keeps ignoring you andpushing past to get on the bus. When youeventually get to the front of the queue thebus driver does not let you on and is hostileand unhelpful. You might feel angry and arguethe point or decide to go by train next time.Discuss how you would feel if this was yourexperience every day, in all sorts of differentsituations.

Tackling social exclusion and thecycle of disadvantageGenerally, groups that experience discriminationdo not have power or influence in our society andare often marginalised to a greater or lesser extent.These people are sometimes called the sociallyexcluded.

Currently, government policy is to promotesocial inclusion with such initiatives as Sure Startand to empower communities and give people theskills for employment. Sure Start’s aim is:

‘To work with parents, parents-to-be andchildren to promote the physical, intellectualand social development of babies and youngchildren – particularly those that aredisadvantaged – so that they can flourish athome and when they get to school, andthereby break the cycle of disadvantage for thecurrent generation of young children.’

(DfES, 2001.)

The cycle of disadvantage is where generations ofthe same families are trapped in a vicious circleand face multiple problems such as poverty,unemployment, poor environments and lowaspirations. Often these are fragile families locatedin troubled communities. Sure Start and otherinitiatives are usually focused on the family andlocal community. These often have many strengthsand successful programmes will build on them.

Think it over...

Research information on Sure Start on both alocal and national level. In a group, discuss howyou would answer the following questions, usingyour research to help.

• Is the UK an equitable society?

• How can the cycle of disadvantage be broken?

• How can the Sure Start programme help withthis?

available in all community languages. Theservices also need to be accessible and affordable.Finally, services must welcome children andfamilies and involve them at all levels, includingmanagement and service development.


KEY ISSUES

In December 2004 the government published aten-year strategy for childcare (‘Choice forParents: The best start for children’). This policydocument sets out many ideas but, its mainpurposes, outlined in paragraph 1.8, are:

• many families still have difficulty findingchildcare services that fit their circumstancesand that adapt as their children grow

• many parents still find childcare services hardto afford

• the quality of childcare services can vary, whichcan undermine parents’ confidence and, at itsworst, have harmful impacts on children’sdevelopment

• services can be poorly joined up, making themmore difficult to access

• parents would like flexible workingarrangements to enable them to spend moretime with their children

• too many parents, especially mothers, whowould like to stay in work and develop theircareers after their children are born, are not able to do so, which can result inconsiderable costs to the family and to thewider economy

• many parents would like more time with theirchildren when they are very young

• childcare and family support could be usedmore effectively in helping families break outof the cycle of poverty and worklessness.

Obtain a copy of the strategy and write a shortleaflet on how it might help families in poverty.

Equal access to servicesTied up with social exclusion is the issue of accessto services. To gain access to services people needto know they exist and that they can use them.This means information must be open and

Early years values and principlesMost occupations have some kind of value base orprofessional code of ethics that underpins howthey work. These value statements generallyrecognise the importance of good standards ofprovision and public safety, according to the typeof occupation, and many recognise principles ofequality and rights.

The code of ethics or value base covers anoccupation’s approach to its service users and tothe work it actually undertakes. These valueswill be evident in the work of the setting anddemonstrated through the kind of service offeredand the attitudes and behaviour of the staff.

Early years services have a set of values andprinciples stated clearly within the nationaloccupational standards for the sector. The valuesand principles are listed later in this unit. Theoccupational standards for early years services arecalled standards for ‘Children’s Care, Learningand Development’ (CCLD). Occupationalstandards are based on the functions peopleundertake when working and are published bystandard-setting bodies for different types ofemployment, such as early years, catering orengineering. They are grouped into units that layout the standard of service expected by employersand government and include the values of theoccupation. These units form NVQs. It isimportant for you to become familiar with thevalues of the early years sector, as you will needto make sure you can work to these values whenyou are in placement and in employment.

The values and principles are so important thatthey are integrated into every unit within theoccupational standards for Children’s Care,Learning and Development. You can find out moreabout occupational standards by contacting therelevant standard-setting body, in this case the sectorskills council Skills for Care and Development.

Attitudes and valuesTo be able to work using the values of any sectorit is important to understand your own attitudes

and values. Attitudes are about the way you viewsomething and usually include how you judge orevaluate. For example, your attitude to war islikely to include views about whether you agreeor disagree with the idea. Together, your attitudesand values are of major importance for how youview the world and the people in it.


KEY ISSUES

You are aware that there are several familiesusing the nursery who are asylum seekers andthat part of a local estate seems to have manyhouses and flats where families claiming asylumlive. The press reports that local children cannotget school places near to home due to the influxof children from abroad.

• Do we think of asylum seekers as one group ormany groups, each with different reasons forbeing here?

• Are we prejudiced – if so, why?

• Do we mind if someone accuses us of prejudice?

• Do we think we are superior?

• Do we think asylum seekers are gettingsomething they don’t deserve?

How we learn our attitudes and valuesAttitudes, values and prejudices are usuallylearned in our early years. Children as young astwo years old are able to make judgements basedon race or gender as they learn to put a highervalue on certain types of physical appearance.

Young children develop their attitudes andvalues as a result of early learning from theirfamilies, friends, nursery, school and fromtelevision and other media. The family is a very

CASE STUDY

A rural initiative has been set up to work withchildren under five and their families in several smallvillages. There are real difficulties for these families,as many have been affected by lower prices fortheir produce and have lost their jobs or their farms.The initiative has been very successful due to itsmotivated and talented organiser and has attracted

funding for several projects to help children andfamilies. The success has been in taking the servicesto the communities and meeting the real needs ofyoung families in isolated settings.

• Research the needs of rural communities for earlyyears services. Identify ways in which the needshave been met or could be met.

powerful influence on children’s values andattitudes and it is often in the home that they firstlearn to stereotype other people or groups.Children pick up the attitudes of their parents orcarers through observing their behaviour and thencopying it. Boys who are always given ‘boys’toys’, such as construction equipment for makingcars, and girls who are always given ‘girls’ toys’,such as dolls, and who are also encouraged tobehave in stereotyped ways, are likely to holdback from trying new ideas and ways of relatingthat cross those stereotypes.

Most people make friends with and havefamily members who share their values andattitudes. This often means that communities andindividuals are less likely to be able to exploresimilarities and differences with others who aredifferent. When children have the chance to mixwith and make friends with other children whomay have different social and culturalbackgrounds of their own this will help them tobecome more tolerant and to understand thefeelings of others about what it is to be different.

Often individual prejudices have come about

through history and experience as well asmisinformation. Prejudices are often shared with alarger social group and have become part of whatwe all believe and what we express to our children,regardless of whether there is any factual basis forthem. For example, a common prejudice is againstobese people who are often judged as lazy or outof control.

Remember: children have a right not to learnnegative attitudes and prejudices from peoplearound them.


Gender stereotypes can hold children back fromexploring new ideas.

Think it over...

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Can I remember examples of times when I feltI was receiving unfair treatment?

• How did that experience make me feel?

• Do I hold stereotyped views about race,gender, disability or other people who aredifferent from me?

How people using early yearsservices may be subject toinequality in our societyMost people in our society are subject to someforms of inequality, but some groups experience itmuch more than others. As we have alreadydiscussed, being different in some way often bringsdiscrimination. The following are examples ofvulnerable groups who may feel the effects ofinequality:

✱ disabled people, who may experience highlevels of inequality, such as not being able totravel freely or go to a theatre and beingprevented from doing certain jobs

✱ older people, who may be considered not ableto work or to care for children

✱ economically disadvantaged people, who maynot be able to afford things they would wish tobuy for their family, such as healthy food

✱ Educationally disadvantaged people, who forvarious reasons have not achieved at schooleither for social reasons or through learningdisabilities.

Why don’t you go and play with the

dolls? I’m sure you’denjoy that more.

Effects of inequalityInequality affects everyone and is closely linked todiscrimination. People, including children, whoexperience inequality and discrimination, aredamaged in many ways. Discrimination affectschildren from birth. During their early years,children are developing their sense of identity, self-worth and self-esteem. They are learning howothers see them and react to them, especiallyoutside the home. For example, overweightchildren may be bullied or called names. Alongsidethis, they may encounter advertising where slimand active children are portrayed positively assuccessful and beautiful. It is important to ensure abalance between encouraging healthy lifestyles,including healthy eating and exercise, withoutportraying those who are overweight in negativeand demoralising ways.

If children grow up with a view of themselvesas inferior (or superior), this will affect theirwhole future. Children with poor self-esteem mayachieve less at school and may have seriousemotional and behavioural problems.

Marginalised and disempoweredAs well as personal feelings which hold peopleback from realising their true potential, the effectsof inequality spread out to the wider community.This can lead to increased marginalisation (beingpushed to the fringe or edge of society) and the

social exclusion of whole groups, such as youngmales. Some communities find increased levels ofviolence and aggression and social problems likecrime or drug taking. Inequality is both a moralissue and a social issue with wide consequences. As well as being marginalised, people can also feeldisempowered. This means they feel that they haveno control over their lives. In this situation peoplewonder what they have to lose and may find itdifficult to invest in or support the society they livein. Being marginalised and disempowered leads tolow self-esteem and low self-confidence withpeople lacking faith in themselves or their ability tosucceed and improve their chances in life.


Social exclusion and marginalisation can cause problems for the wider community as well as for theindividuals experiencing it.

The effects of inequality and discrimination onself-esteem include:

• lack of confidence

• low self-esteem

• being unwilling to take risks

• fear of rejection

• feeling unsafe and vulnerable

• withdrawal

• feeling excluded

• loss of motivation to achieve

• stress and illness

• depression and hopelessness.

KEY ISSUES

No-one caresabout me, so why

should I care?I’ve got nothing

to lose.

The Race Relations (Amendment)Act 2000This act identifies four types of discrimination.

✱ Direct discrimination. Treating a person lessfavourably on racial grounds, such as refusingchildren places at nursery because they areblack, Asian or white.

✱ Indirect discrimination. Applying a requirementto everyone that certain racial groups eithercannot fulfil or only a small proportion can fulfil.For example, insistence that girls wear skirts aspart of school uniform can be unlawful as itindirectly discriminates against certain religions.

✱ Victimisation. Being treated less favourablybecause someone is using race relationslegislation or alleging discrimination.

✱ Segregation. Segregating on racial groundsmay constitute discriminatory treatment, suchas grouping children by colour at mealtimes orwhen in line.

These definitions of discrimination are equallyapplicable to other groups that might sufferdiscrimination such as in disability discrimination,gender discrimination, or religious discrimination.

Anti-discriminationAnti-discrimination means actively opposingdiscrimination by implementing policies andpractices designed to rid society of barriers anddiscrimination, such as when women are paid lessfor the same work as men and legal action is takenagainst the employer under the Equal Pay Act.

Anti-discrimination puts equal opportunitiesinto action and means that positive steps are takento combat the various types of discrimination,such as racism.

Within early years settings, anti-discriminatorypractice is considered to be best practice and thisis dealt with in more detail later in the unit.

Stereotyping and labellingA stereotype is defined as ‘a standardised image orconception of a type of person’. Most stereotypesare based on prejudices (prejudice usually means anunfavourable view of someone or something based

on inadequate facts). They involve labelling and allare untrue as they do not look at all the aspects ofthe entire individual. You will need to be sure thatyou are aware of holding any prejudiced andstereotyped attitudes as these may lead you tobehave unfairly towards people. Most of us holdstereotypes without necessarily realising it andapply those stereotypes to people we meet. Thereare people, for example, who are long-termunemployed because they are disabled, ill or notable to move to another part of the country becauseof family commitments. People in this position aresometimes labelled lazy or scroungers because thevery good reasons why they cannot get a job are notconsidered. When people are labelled, often this canact as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Children who arelabelled as lazy may act in a lazy way, not becauseof themselves but because of the adults aroundthem having low expectations or treating themdifferently.

Stereotyping affects the ways we treatindividual children. For example, we may feel thatgirls, in general, enjoy quiet activities and are lesscompetitive than boys. We may feel that boys areusually noisier and enjoy competitive games andvigorous outdoor play. Equally we may think thatblack children are stronger and more athletic thanothers or that Asian girls are quiet and submissive.Our expectations of children are known to be a keyfactor in their achievement. If we hold stereotypeswe may expect less of some children in some areasof their learning and development and they maynot reach their true potential.

Early years best practice looks at individualchildren with their individual needs, personalities,likes and dislikes rather than whether they areboys or girls, or black or white.

Discriminatory practices are sometimes presentbecause no one in an organisation realises they arediscriminating and there is lack of thought orunderstanding or, on rare occasions, where staffsimply can’t be bothered. Examples include:

✱ where a setting uses books and learningmaterials that only feature white children

✱ where a setting only allows the English languageto be used when it has many bi-lingual childrenand/or children with English as an additionallanguage


✱ asking boys to play outside and girls to stay inand help staff clear away

✱ when disabled children are steered away fromcertain activities that, with appropriate support,they could undertake very successfully.

Holding stereotypical views about children basedon their gender, race, ability or any other featureis not acceptable within early years settings andshould never be tolerated.

Advantages of diversityThe UK has a rich cultural and ethnic mix that hasmany positive effects. Today we live in aglobalised society. Countries have links with othercountries across the world, communication isinstant and understanding other cultures haspositive benefits to business and commerce.Immigration has brought skills and knowledgeinto the UK and has enriched our national life.Highly skilled people come here to work in artsand science and many top experts, such asspecialists in reproductive medicine, come to workhere because of the UK’s more open attitude.


Welcoming children and families from all culturesand linguistic backgrounds is very important.

We live in a globalised society.

CASE STUDY

Egyptian-born Dr Mohammed Taranissi, the directorof the Assisted Reproduction and GynaecologyCentre in London, has been a strong voice within theUK for more progress in human embryologyresearch. For a number of years he has supportedparents with children who have serious illnesses thatcan be helped by donations of stem cells frombrothers and sisters who are a genetic match. Thiscan only be achieved by genetic screening of

embryos – those that are a suitable match areimplanted and become what has sometimes beencalled ‘designer babies’. Dr Taranissi is anxious tohelp parents whose existing children have real healthissues and believes that all the babies that are bornas a result of this technique will be loved and caredfor. He has said, ‘It’s not a commodity, as the babywill be loved and cherished on its own merit. It’s notjust being produced as a spare part.’

Cultural enrichment takes many forms. On aday-to-day basis there are new foods to try,different clothes to wear and new forms ofrelating. For example, Asian communities are wellknown for their hospitality and for their respectfor and care of the elderly. Cultural enrichment isalso present in music and the arts. It is almostimpossible to imagine UK society without reggaeor rap music, both of which have their origins inimmigrant groups. Different cultures arerepresented in the media and sports and help theUK to succeed in all these areas. People whoaccept differences in culture can be more flexibleand creative, and understand the needs of others.

In the past, specific economic activities havebeen strongly associated with specific groups ofpeople. However, different communities areincreasingly moving into mainstream businessactivities. It would be wrong, for example, toassume that Asians are only involved in the foodindustry. Equally, black people of African orCaribbean backgrounds are moving forward inthe arts, science and politics.

Early years and diversityThere are particular advantages in recognisingdiversity within early years settings. In schoolsand nurseries there are children from manydifferent races and cultures speaking manydifferent languages. Being positive about diversitycan enrich our lives and those of the children inour care. It is important to make sure thatdifferent people and groups are equally respected.

Early years settings can develop and use thedifferences in culture, ethnic group, gender,language and religion to help make attending anursery a learning experience for all children andtheir families. Looking positively at other culturesand ways of life helps children to understand thewider world, to grow up to be tolerant and toaccept, without fear and as equals, people who aredifferent.

Children who, as part of their overall socialdevelopment, learn to respect the views and needsof others and to value difference, are more likelyto become tolerant adults who are able tocontribute to a fairer society.


Appreciation of diversity promotes tolerance andacceptance without fear.

CASE STUDY

Baroness Amos was born in Guyana and studiedat the Universities of Warwick, Birmingham andEast Anglia. She was awarded an HonoraryProfessorship at Thames Valley University in1995 in recognition of her work on equality andsocial justice. Valerie Amos was appointed agovernment Whip in the House of Lords in July1998. In addition to her role as a Spokespersonon International Development, she also spoke

on Social Security and Women’s Issues. She wascreated a life peer in August 1997. She joined theCabinet as International Development Secretary inMay 2003 before becoming Leader of the Houseof Lords and President of the Council in October2003.

• Find out about black MPs or MEPs. Are theirnumbers growing? What posts of responsibilitydo they hold?

Human rightsMoral rightsMoral rights are based on views about what is justand moral and consist of universal values that aregenerally agreed to apply to all human beings,regardless of gender, race, culture or difference.Some are truly global – theft, murder or perjuryare recognised as immoral activities throughoutthe world and protecting people’s rights wouldinvolve protecting them from these activities.

Some moral rights may not be recognisedglobally. Freedom of speech or capital punishmentmay not be regarded in the same way in differentcountries or areas of the world. In the EuropeanUnion there are shared human rights laws andconventions. The Human Rights Act is discussedin more detail later in this unit.

Each policy will have a code of practice and/orstatements of procedures that set out in generalterms how the policy will operate and what actionsare to be taken in particular situations, such as whatstaff do if a parent makes a racist comment.

Many policies are primarily designed topromote an individual’s rights and freedomswhen in employment, whereas other policies aredesigned to protect service users. For example, aharassment policy protects employees fromdifferent forms of harassment or bullying,


You have read an article in a newspaper sayingthat ‘children should not be the subject of allthis nonsense about being equal’. Write a letterback to the paper stating why in your view it isimportant to understand equality issues in theservice we provide for children.


3 How early years services can recognise and promoteequality, diversity and rights

Rights of childrenChildren are increasingly seen to have rights andtheir voice heard in decisions affecting their lives.This is reflected in our legislation and socialpolicy. The UN Convention on the Rights of theChild, described later in the unit and which theUK government has ratified (agreed to), sets outrights for our children.

Early years and care services are operated within aframework of laws and regulations designed,among other things, to support equality, diversityand rights. They have policies, procedures andcodes of practice in place as a matter of best practiceand to make sure that the law is upheld. The mainthrust of these policies is to ensure that people areallowed equal treatment and that an individual’srights are protected. Work practices, administrationand organisation should all reflect this.

Formal policiesPolicies are overall statements, aims andintentions and include the general goalsand values of the organisation. Policies arepowerful tools to make sure that theorganisation’s values and beliefs areimplemented in everyday practice.

Policies that cover equality, diversity andrights have a role in ensuring high-qualityservices relating closely to the values of thesector. Quality services are difficult toachieve if systems and anti-discriminatorypolicies and practices are not in place toprotect staff and service users.

Formal policiescan be about…

equal opportunities

anti-discrimination

promotion of individual rights

advocacy

work practicesstaff recruitment

staff developmentand training

affirmative action

freedom fromharassment


COMMON POLICIES IN EARLY YEARS SETTINGS EXAMPLES OF POLICY GOALS

Recruitment and Open and transparent recruitment and selection that does not put up selection of staff barriers to any section of the community. Designed to encourage a multi-

racial workforce that reflects the proportion of different races in thecommunity, and also including male staff and those with disabilities.

Equal opportunities For staff as well as children and families. Equal opportunities should form a part of all other policies to bring about equal treatmentand equal chances. A ‘no blame’ culture to cope with change and service development.

Inclusion This is defined in the CCLD occupational standards as ‘a process ofidentifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participationand belonging’. Making sure, in everyday practice, that barriers arebroken down for individual and groups of children is a goal for anumber of policies and is sometimes used to refer specifically to disabledchildren or children with special educational needs.

Anti-discrimination Actively opposing and challenging discrimination in every area of work, including discriminatory language, bullying, and hidden orunintentional discrimination.

Harassment Giving clear guidance on all forms of harassment experienced by staff,children and families, such as racial or sexual harassment.

Admissions Open, fair and transparent admissions systems, ensuring access to serviceby all parts of the community. Providing materials translated intocommunity languages and extending knowledge of the services into ‘hard to reach’ groups, such as travellers.

Curriculum The curriculum, resources, equipment and activities should be fully accessible to all children, including disabled children, those with specialneeds or with English as an additional language. Positive images ofgroups that experience discrimination should be used throughout. Linkswith the community should be strong and diversity celebrated.

Relations with parents This policy will state the setting’s attitudes and values regarding parentsas partners.

Staff development and On-going training to raise awareness of discrimination and to ensure training staff both understand the issues and support the solutions. Staff

development is vital to ensure the best possible service for children andfamilies.

�

whereas a policy on behaviour is designed both togive staff clear guidance and to protect children.

Policies covering equality are required in earlyyears settings’ legislation, and they should includean appeals and complaints procedure that isimplemented fairly and without prejudice.

Every organisation and setting should have anequal opportunities policy that includes all areasof potential discrimination, even areas where they

do not feel it is relevant. For example, an earlyyears setting in a rural area where all the childrenattending are white should still ensure thatequipment, activities, books and so on clearlyreflect positive images of black and Asianchildren. Children need to understand that theylive in a diverse society and learn to value andrespect other people.

Work practicesIt is very easy to have a policy, but it is moredifficult to make sure that the policy is put intopractice and that everybody knows about it andsticks to it. Organisations and settings shouldregularly evaluate the success of their policy inachieving its objectives. This also means thatorganisations will have to use managementstrategies, such as appraisal and performancemanagement, to make sure policies andprocedures are followed by individuals andmonitored regularly. Many organisations nowhave whistle-blowing procedures whereby staffcan report problems of all types, includingbullying, harassment and poor work practice. Awhistle-blowing policy should protect, notpenalise, the whistle-blower. Adequate stafftraining and development follows on fromappraisal. Regular in-house and off-the-jobtraining sessions on equality of opportunity, anti-discriminatory practice and so forth will help theorganisation to meet its goals. Staff should worktogether on developing policies for their workwith children and policies that affect them as anemployee. They should be clear on what policiesprotect them and how they do so.

As well as working closely with families, workpractices should ensure that the voices of childrenare heard in decisions affecting their lives andexperiences.

Positive promotion of individualrightsIt is important that individual rights are promotedin a positive way and this applies to both adultsand children in early years settings. Staff whorespect themselves and are respected by othersfind it easier to respect the children they care forand to set a positive example. Lack of respecteasily communicates itself to children and familiesand damages self-esteem. Policies and proceduresconcerning equality and anti-discrimination aredesigned to protect individual rights and shouldform a normal part of the culture of the setting.

AdvocacyDisability legislation and practice stresses theneed to encourage children to make their owndecisions and gain some control over their lives.This is known as empowerment and is a right forevery child. Children with special needs may findit difficult to communicate their needs and desiresand require an independent adult (an advocate) tospeak for them. Sometimes parents can be theirchild’s advocate, while at other times a child’shealth visitor or social worker can perform thetask. Some local authorities employ children’srights officers. Legal advocates are appointed bycourts for children taken into care. Adults whomay have severe learning or communicationdifficulties may also require advocates.


COMMON POLICIES IN EARLY YEARS SETTINGS EXAMPLES OF POLICY GOALS

Quality assurance This may incorporate elements of other policies but is designed to ensurethat levels of service meet high quality standards across all the work ofthe setting. Settings may have written quality standards that they aim toachieve and a quality-assurance policy will include these, together withmechanisms for obtaining and using feedback from service users andother agencies involved. Inspections, regulations, codes of practice andthe underlying principles will all contribute to the quality standards.

Complaints For use by families who may have a complaint or grievance and whoshould also know about how to make complaints to a regulatoryauthority, such as Ofsted. Human resources policies also allow for staff tomake complaints in various circumstances if they feel they have receiveddiscrimination.

Affirmative actionAffirmative action occurs when employers andothers can take positive action to overcomediscrimination or to put right previousdiscrimination. For example, where there are fewpeople from a particular ethnic group in theworkforce the aim of positive action would be toenable these people to compete on equal termswith others. Positive action in this case could takethe form of printing leaflets in relevant languagesor arranging extra training for the minority ethnicgroup. However, selection itself must be based onmerit and all applicants must be treated equally.There are cases when being of a particular ethnicgroup might be a genuine occupationalrequirement and the law allows this to happen,for example, when working in a particular ethnic restaurant.

HarassmentHarassment is illegal under both the RaceRelations Act and the Sex Discrimination Act.Harassment in these contexts can mean subjectingpeople to unwanted sexual attention or racialabuse. This covers a whole range of behaviours,such as verbal or physical bullying, jokes andtaunts or excluding people because of their race orgender. No one should have to put up with thissort of behaviour and people can expect the law tobe on their side if harassment is proven.

Success of legislation in opposingdiscriminationIt would be wrong to assume that all legislationdesigned to oppose discrimination is entirely

successful. Despite laws being in place, certaingroups still experience discrimination. Forexample, black people are still under-representedin professions such as law or medicine andwomen are under-represented in parliament.

Under the Race Relations Act, it is stilldifficult to prove discrimination and obtainevidence that makes comparisons with otherracial groups. Cases take a long time and areoften stressful. There are possibilities under theAct for positive action in certain cases, such aswhere an employer wishes to advertise for ablack member of staff and can justify why theyare allowed to do so, perhaps to work withpeople from a specific ethnic group.

The Sex Discrimination Act has still notsucceeded in bringing equality for women, whoearn on average 82 per cent of men’s hourlyearnings for broadly the same work. The pay gapisn’t just bad news for women. It means thatwomen’s abilities and skills are not being fullyused in businesses and in the economy.

Women are still kept from rising to toppositions at work because of the ‘glass ceiling’.This is a term used to describe the barriers inplace to prevent women getting beyond middlemanagement.

There are other structural barriers to womensucceeding, such as poor childcare facilities, lackof family-friendly policies at work, inflexibleworking hours and low status given to part-timework. Many UK employers expect staff to worklong hours if they are to rise in the company andwomen still take the major burden of caring forthe home and family, making the pressures onthem enormous.


CASE STUDY

Megan is an office worker. She is teasedconstantly by her boss who uses sexual innuendoand who also puts pressure on her to meet himoutside work hours. Megan feels she wants toleave her job as the situation is so bad. Megantalks to another senior manager who is not

sympathetic and suggests she is beingoversensitive. Megan talks to a colleague whotakes her seriously and advises her to go to herunion. The union is taking up the case butMegan is not sure whether it’s worth all thestress.

The Children Act 1989 and NationalStandards for Under Eights Day Careand ChildmindingThe Children Act is a very important piece oflegislation that affects many aspects of the way inwhich children are cared for. The Act coverschildren who are disabled and states that health,education and social services for children shouldbe co-ordinated so that a seamless service may beoffered.

In England the regulations under the ChildrenAct (DFES, 2001) require early years providers tomeet a set of fourteen standards and supportingcriteria. Ofsted inspect early years settings, takingaccount of these standards. The standards mostclosely linked to equality, diversity and rights areas follows.

✱ Standard 9, Equal opportunities: Thisstandard will ensure that settings activelypromote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

✱ Standard 10, Special needs (including specialeducational needs and disabilities): Thisstandard will ensure that settings are awarethat some children will have special needs andthat they are proactive in taking action when

such children are identified or admitted to theprovision. This means settings will have totake steps to promote the welfare anddevelopment of the child in partnership withparents/carers.

Human Rights Act 1998The Human Rights Act incorporates the EuropeanConvention on Human Rights into UK law acrossEngland, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.The Act allows residents to seek justice throughthe courts if they feel a public authority hasinfringed their human rights. The term ‘publicauthority’ covers:

✱ local authorities (including social services)

✱ government departments

✱ police

✱ NHS (including GPs, dentists, etc.) when doingNHS work

✱ other public bodies (covers a wide range oforganisations that have a public function).

The Act is designed to modernise relationshipsbetween people and the state based on the valuesof fairness, respect for human dignity, andinclusiveness in public services. The law isdivided into sections, all of which affect broadhuman rights. The main exceptions to the goal ofpromoting individual human rights are to do withensuring the safety of the individual or the widercommon good.

The main areas that have been incorporatedinto UK law are listed in the table below with abrief commentary of those sections most relevantto early years work.


KEY ISSUES

If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Irelandthe systems for registration and inspection aredifferent. Find out what systems are used in yourarea, how they relate to equality, diversity andrights and how they might differ in another partof the UK.

The ‘glass ceiling’ at work.


RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS(PART 1) COMMENTARY

Article 2 Public authorities must not cause death. There are some exceptions, Right to life such as when necessary force has been used to protect someone from

unlawful violence and this has resulted in death. This article could affectdecisions on abortion, life-saving operations or end-of-life decisions. Itwill also affect decisions about access to treatment, withdrawal oftreatment, and investigations of suspicious deaths while in health orcare settings.

Article 3 No one should be subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment. This Prohibition of torture article could affect decisions about taking children into care where they

are experiencing inhumane or degrading conditions.

Article 4 People must not be ‘owned’ by anyone as if they were slaves or forced Prohibition of slavery to work and unable to leave. There are some exceptions, such as during and forced labour emergencies affecting the community or for people in prison.

Article 5 Everyone has rights to liberty except when detained by law, such as Right to liberty and convicted criminals, those with mental illness or people entering the security country illegally. This article could affect people detained under Mental

Health Acts when there is a delay in dealing with their case.

Article 6 People have a right to a fair trial within a reasonable time and are Right to a fair trial innocent until proved guilty. This part of the Act gives everyone the

right to a public trial or hearing by an independent tribunal. It coverscriminal and many civil cases, tribunals and hearings.

Article 7 No one can be held guilty of a criminal offence for something they did No punishment in the past when, under the law at the time, what they did was not without law criminal.

Article 8 Public authorities are not allowed to interfere in people’s private affairs Right to respect for unless they have legal authority to do so, such as in cases of national private and family life security, public safety or protecting others. Health and social care services

can affect family life, for example, when taking children into care.

Article 9 Freedom to change religions, and to practise religion. Covers issues such Freedom of thought, as taking time off for religious festivals, refusing life-saving treatment conscience and religion such as blood transfusions on religious grounds, children practising

religion when in care, and adoption practices based on religion.

Article 10 Freedom to hold opinions, and to receive and impart information. This Freedom of expression covers the media, the Internet, books – any type of communication.

Article 11 Right to demonstrate and to join (or not to join) trade unions and Freedom of assembly associations.

Article 12 Right to marry and found a family. The article will affect adoption and Right to marry fostering. Local authorities’ policies on who can adopt may need

reviewing to ensure they do not discriminate on grounds of race or ageor other criteria, such as obesity.

Article 13 The rights and freedoms under the Act do not discriminate between Prohibition of people on grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political discrimination opinion, national or social origin, being part of a minority, property,

birth or other status. �

UN Convention on the Rights of theChildThe UN Convention on the Rights of the Child hasinfluenced law and public policy with respect tochildren in the UK. The UN Convention is a formalstatement designed to protect children’s rightsagreed by almost all nations. The Convention onthe Rights of the Child outlines in 41 Articles thehuman rights to be respected and protected forevery child under the age of 18 years and requiresthat these rights are implemented in the light of theConvention’s guiding principles. The followinghighlights some of the rights that are included.

✱ All rights apply to all children, whatever theirbackground, and the state has an obligation toprotect children against discrimination.(Article 2)

✱ Children’s best interests must come first.(Article 3)

✱ Children have a right to be heard. (Article 12)

✱ Children must be protected from violence,abuse and neglect. (Article 19)

✱ Children with disabilities and learningdifficulties must have their rights protected.(Article 23)

✱ Children have a right to education. (Article 28)

✱ Children have a right to play and recreationactivities according to their age. ( Article 31)

✱ Children have a right to freedom fromeconomic exploitation. (Article 32)

✱ Children have a right to be protected fromsexual exploitation. (Article 33)


RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS(PART 1) COMMENTARY

Article 14 Prohibits discrimination. It could cover a whole range of different Freedom from scenarios, such as organ donation or denying treatment because of discrimination in age. This article recognises not all differences in treatment are respect of protected discriminatory, only those with no reasonable justification.rights (not a separate article)

RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS(PART 2 THE FIRST PROTOCOL OF THE ACT)

Article 1 Gives people entitlement to peaceful enjoyment of their property and Protection of property possessions so long as the public interest is not affected or removing

property is allowed under the law.

Article 2 No one is to be denied education and the state will respect the right Right to education of parents to ensure education for their children conforms with their

principles, for example in terms of religion. The rights have to bemeasured against the available resources. This article could affect therights of children with special educational needs or children who areexcluded from schools.

Article 3 Covers rights to a free election with secret ballot.Right to free elections

RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS(PART 2 THE SIXTH PROTOCOL OF THE ACT)

Article 1 No one shall be executed. Exceptions to this Article cover times of war.The death penalty shall be abolished

Think it over...

Read about the UN Convention on the Rights ofthe Child. In groups, discuss what rights coveredare used in your everyday work with children.

force the child or family to undertake a certaincourse of action even when it is perceived asbeing for their ‘own good’ but should allow themto make an informed decision.

There are cases when individual rights have tobe put aside, sometimes by the exercise ofauthority and the use of force. Sectioning peopleunder Mental Health Acts usually means theperson is taken away from their home withouttheir consent. The law allows this to happen toensure public safety or the safety of the individualconcerned by giving statutory powers to thehealth authorities or to the police to take thisaction. If mental health professionals decide thatthe patient has a mental illness and treatment is‘in their best interests’ a doctor has a duty of careunder common law to provide treatment in thepatient’s best interests where the patient lacks acapacity to consent to or refuse treatment and


The UN Convention on the Rights of the Childhas radically changed early years practice as wellas attitudes to children. Here are some examplesof how early years practice has changed over theyears in line with the Convention and subsequentUK legislation.

1 The rights of disabled children to be includedwithin mainstream education where this isappropriate for them.

2 Avoiding humiliating practices in work withchildren such as the ‘naughty chair’.

3 Consulting with and listening to children.

4 Involving children in decision-making.

5 Maintaining contact with families for ‘looked-after’ children.

6 A child’s right to privacy in cases of childprotection.

7 Making voluntary payments for school tripsrather than compulsory payments.

Overriding individuals’ rightsPractitioners working in early years settings haveto be very careful not to override individual rightsand freedoms. This is particularly the case whendealing with vulnerable children and families. Theprinciple of parents as the most important peoplein the child’s life is very important. What parentswant for their children or children want forthemselves should be respected. Practitioners donot always agree with parents’ or children’schoices and this can cause some difficulties.However, in most cases practitioners should not

Think it over...

CASE STUDY

Article 12 of the UN Convention talks aboutchildren having a right to be heard. In 2000,Coram Family (a London based charity) beganits ‘Listening to young children’ project. Thiswork aimed to understand how to really listento young children under the age of eight. Itaimed to identify the kinds of relationshipsand opportunities that help children to

articulate their feelings, experiences andconcerns.

This project is helping practitioners to move froma model of practice which centres on adultspromoting young children’s welfare to one thatacknowledges children’s rights by recognisingthat even at a young age they are competent tomake or contribute to informed decisions.

Young girls in some parts of the world aresubjected to what is known as female genitalmutilation (female circumcision). Parts of theirexternal genital organs are altered or removed inorder to minimise sexual pleasure and encouragechastity. This is illegal in the UK but sometimesyoung girls who live here are taken to othercountries to be circumcised as it is considered tobe a part of their culture.

Discuss in a group how the UK views this practiceand how prevalent it is in the rest of the world.Can any culture justify female genital mutilation?

How does the practice accord with the UNConvention on the Rights of the Child?

there is no valid advance statement. Common lawis based on the principle of deciding cases byreference to previous decisions (precedents), ratherthan to written statutes drafted by legislativebodies such as parliament. Common law focusesmore intently on the facts of the particular case toarrive at a fair and equitable result. The patient’sbest interests are not simply confined to what is inhis or her best medical interests, as there are otherfactors that may be taken into account, whichinclude the patient’s values and preferences whenable, their psychological health, well-being, qualityof life, relationships with family or other carers,spiritual and religious welfare and their ownfinancial interests.

In cases of child protection the Children Acts1989 and 2004 and other relevant legislationclearly outline principles for safeguardingchildren and this can mean children are forciblyremoved from their home. These laws givestatutory powers to local authorities or otheragencies involved, such as the NSPCC, when thesafety of a child is at stake. These statutorypowers can be seen to override parents’ rights,making the welfare of the child paramount.

In many situations dealing with youngchildren, practitioners have ‘power’ over thechildren or their families and must use thisethically. For example, where a child disclosesabuse, or where you suspect that a child is beingabused, a particularly difficult situation arises.The child may well say that ‘This is a secret’. Inthis case you will have to say immediately to thechild that it cannot remain a secret and make clear

that you are obliged to tell other people. Equally,if a parent states they suspect a third party ofabuse you cannot collude with secrecy and haveto override their rights for confidentiality.

Promoting equality and individualrightsAs an early years practitioner you will be requiredto treat both children and adults fairly and equally,ensuring their individual rights. Treating everyonefairly is not the same as treating everyone in thesame way. Fair treatment in any organisation or inan early years setting means meeting the needs ofindividuals. Individual needs are always differentand need to be met in different ways as long asthese are fair in terms of the law and the policies ofthe setting. This is not favouritism – giving allchildren the same activity and materials does notallow for the fact that some children will not be ableto do the activity without additional assistance. Forexample, a disabled child will be treated differentlybut only to ensure he or she has an equal chancewith everyone else of completing a task.

Allowing choiceThere have been occasions when children who arefussy about food have been ‘force fed’ in earlyyears settings, sometimes with the best of motives.This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable. Nomatter how young children are their views andopinions should be sought and should generallydirect what happens to them.


CASE STUDY

Adam is a new child in the nursery. His parentsare very traditional in their views of genderroles. Adam loves playing in the home cornerand one day his father visits and finds him‘ironing’ and playing with dolls. His fathercomments loudly, ‘Come out of there Adam,boys don’t do ironing, leave that to the girls!’The practitioner takes Adam’s father to one side

and tries to explain the benefits of allowingAdam to explore different roles. Adam’s fatherasks that his son be prevented from playing inthe home corner in future.

• In a group, discuss how the setting coulddeal with this. Role play a meeting betweenAdam’s father and the practitioner.

Children should be allowed choice andautonomy within the bounds of safe practice. Thisis not the same as a free for all where children arenot given boundaries and frameworks for positivebehaviour. Practitioners do need to preventchildren hurting one another or to prevent andmanage self-destructive behaviour.

such as ethnic minorities, who may not haveworked there before. Training all staff in equalityand diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatorypractice means better outcomes for children andfamilies. You should take every opportunity opento you for further training as, in early years work,things move quickly and your initial training soonbecomes out of date.

Implications of confidentialityConfidentiality is an important principle in workwith children and families. If confidences arebroken and sensitive information leaks outthrough accident or careless practice, this hasmajor implications for all concerned and leads toloss of confidence in the setting. Parents or otherservice users are at liberty to take legal actionagainst the setting in some cases.

CommunicationPositive and effective communication is essentialin early years settings and practitioners have to beable to communicate with:

✱ colleagues

✱ visiting professionals

✱ children

✱ parents and families

✱ emergency services.


KEY ISSUES

Recruitment practicesRecruitment practices are very important indicatorsof fair employment. Recruitment to your settingshould be open and transparent and all staff shouldhave access to training and developmentopportunities. By ensuring that your recruitmentpractices meet the needs of your community, suchas accessible information in community languages,you are much more likely to recruit from groups,

The same principles of fairness and equalityshould underpin your work with colleagues andwith the families using the service. This can leadto tensions and contradictions. For example youmay find that families have different values anddo not support equal treatment for all. Somefamilies do not like it if boys engage in domesticplay or girls are noisy and enjoy football. In somecases, families are overtly prejudiced againstother groups, such as travellers, who may beusing the service.

CASE STUDY

An early years setting in an inner city had anestablished equal opportunities policy whichensured that discrimination, when identified,was dealt with immediately. The officer incharge insisted that all staff had training in anti-discriminatory practice as soon as they startedat the nursery.

A new family had a place for their two-year-old at the nursery and were assigned a blackkey worker. They met with the officer incharge and stated that they did not wishtheir child’s key worker to be black or Asian.The officer in charge was able to show the

family the equal opportunities policy and totalk to them about the benefits to their childof meeting people from other backgrounds.The family understood that the policy meantthat their request could not be grantedalthough they were free to take their childelsewhere.

• What positive actions had the officer incharge taken? Why were the actionsappropriate?

• How might the family be feeling? How couldtheir attitudes affect their own child?

Sharing information, both in a single organisationand with other agencies, may save children’s livesand will certainly contribute to their well-being.Most cases when children known to social servicesare murdered by their carers involve a breakdownin communication between the people andagencies involved. The government is taking stepsto redress this by ensuring anyone working withchildren, young people and their families learnsabout information sharing and multi-agency workas part of the DfES Common Core of Skills andKnowledge. You can find the Common Core onthe DfES website.

Information about services and policies shouldbe provided in all community languages and theinformation should be available to those whoneed it through signing, large print or Braille. Asdescribed elsewhere in this unit, advocates can beuseful if parents or children require them. Wherenecessary, interpreters and translators should beprovided. Positive relationships with localcommunities often bring with them usefulcontacts that can help to provide these services.

Partnership with parentsPartnership with parents is a key value withinearly years services. Parents and carers knowmore about their young children than anyone elseand are the most important influence in theirlives. The role of the parent is not easy and

practitioners should not be judgemental whendifferent family patterns are encountered. Intoday’s society there is a wide range of differentfamily patterns, such as lone parents, blendedfamilies (two existing families merging) or same-sex relationships. Families may need support fromthe setting to undertake their parenting role.Positive relationships with families help childrento develop and thrive in the early years setting, asmost children are acutely aware of tensions andmay respond negatively. When problems arise,discussion should take place as soon as possible,before the situations become difficult.

Early years settings should welcome and valueparents, regardless of their backgrounds ordifferences. Two-way sharing of information withparents is essential for the well-being of the child.When children start at the setting, a whole rangeof information is obtained and recorded to ensurethat appropriate action can be taken inemergencies and the child’s and families’preferences about care are known. Some of thesemay be vital to a child’s life – for example, someallergies may be life threatening. There are manyways to share information, including daily diariesleft out for busy parents to see when collectingtheir child after work or formal and informalconversations. Children’s records are normallyavailable for parents to see.

Parents can be involved in many ways in thesetting if they wish to be and feel welcomed.


Partnership withparents involves…

discussion

sharing

welcoming andvaluing information

valuing parentsaccepting diversefamily patterns

positiverelationships

parentalinvolvement

understandingcultural expectations

They can:

✱ participate as volunteers, supporting everydayactivities

✱ help with the management of the setting, as inmany voluntary pre-schools

✱ provide help with specific activities withintheir expertise, such as dentists giving adviceor equipment

✱ help with visits and outings.

Parents from other cultures may need to beapproached in different ways and encouraged tobecome involved. Some parents may find leavingthe home setting and participating culturallyacceptable while other activities are not. Parents

may enjoy language classes based in the setting orfind their self-esteem raised through helping withchildren who have additional needs or who needlanguage support.

Cultural expectations of care and education inthe early years sector may vary with differentparents or groups of parents. Some parents maynot be accustomed to allowing the kinds offreedom that are given to children in the setting –for example, children may be taking part in messyactivities, such as painting or digging in thegarden. Other parents may have strict genderroles at home and find it difficult to understandwhy children are encouraged to explore differentroles. A play-based curriculum is alsocontroversial for some families who would preferto see a more formal learning programme.

It is important for you to know why you dowhat you do with respect to equality, diversityand rights and be able to explain this sensitivelyto parents. You also need to know when to refer toother members of staff.


The relationship between the early yearspractitioner and parent should be based on trust.

• Find examples of policies covering equality,diversity and rights in your placement or getthem from a college tutor.

• Compare them and see if they cover the sameareas. Ask yourself if there are missing areas.

• Discuss in groups or pairs how such a policyhelps early years services to promote rightsand monitor good practice.


4 Promoting equality, diversity and rights in your ownearly years practice

Personal awarenessAs you study or work with children in early yearssettings, you need to be aware of your ownprejudices and beliefs. This means taking time tonote your personal reactions when faced withdifficult and potentially discriminatory situations,such as working with a family where the motherhas recently been released from prison. Howwould your contact with her make you feel?Would you be concerned about her ability to look

after her children? Beliefs are opinions,assumptions, prejudices, judgments, ideas andattitudes through which everything we experiencein life is filtered. They are the lenses throughwhich we see the world. Some of your beliefswere probably influenced by your parents,grandparents, teachers or come from books, themedia, magazines and films.

Beliefs and prejudices dictate our experience,whether we recognise it or not. We automaticallynotice things we’re expecting to see, because

we’re looking for them. In this way, the worldlargely conforms to our beliefs about it. The outerworld is a reflection of our inner world. If youbelieve, for instance, that boys are always noisy,then you may not notice all the boys being quiet.

Our beliefs and prejudicesMaintaining your beliefs and prejudices feels safebecause they are familiar to you, but in realitythey can be dangerous. On the pretence of helpingyou, they may be severely limiting. Though beliefsare supposed to define your world, they cannarrowly shape what you think and how youexperience life. Sticking to your beliefs andprejudices may harm both you and the childrenand families you work with, so you need to thinkhard about change or ask for help in sorting outprejudices that are not in line with the early yearsvalue base and the policies of your setting.Remember that you are responsible for yourbeliefs and prejudices and how we behave to eachother and to those around is the outward face ofour inner beliefs.

None of us is likely to be completely free ofprejudice, but we must make sure that the way webehave at work is always true to the values andprinciples of the sector. In other words, we mustnever behave in ways that discriminate, eitherintentionally or unintentionally. This meansconstantly checking the ways in which we relateto service users and the kind of service weprovide. Settings do this in many different ways,including feedback from parents and children andthrough inspections and self-assessment. All thework of the setting will be covered and thefeedback will inform future planning. Individualstaff can use this feedback to inform their ownpractice.

Challenging discriminationIt is important to challenge oppressive anddiscriminatory behaviour. Anti-discrimination isdefined in the Children’s Care, Learning andDevelopment occupational standards as ‘Takingpositive action to counter discrimination: this willinvolve identifying and challenging discriminationand being positive in your practice about differencesand similarities between people.’ So it’s not enoughto just not be discriminatory yourself – this is toopassive. You must challenge discrimination whenyou see or experience it. Remember that you act as arole model to children and families as well ascolleagues and others in the setting. Children willcopy the behaviour of people they respect or care for.

Anti-discrimination in the early yearssettingAll forms of discrimination should be removedimmediately as soon as they are evident in thesetting. This means tackling discrimination anddiscriminatory remarks as soon as possible. Staffneed to be clear about the policies they are workingto and be sure of the support of management.

As well as dealing with discrimination frompeople and organisations, early years practitionershave a duty to provide a curriculum that, inaddition to promoting children’s development


Theory into practice

Write a list of things you believe about people –be honest with yourself as no-one needs to seeit. What does your list tell you about yourbeliefs? Start each item with the words ‘Ibelieve’. Here is an example of a commonprejudice to help you start:

‘I believe that most fat people are lazy.’ You must challenge discrimination whenever youcome across it.

I don’t know why they letthose travellers come here.They’ll probably steal theother children’s money.

I don’t thinkthat’s fair…

and learning, is also in itself anti-discriminatory.Louise Derman Sparks (1989) uses the term ‘anti-bias’ to describe a curriculum that shouldpermeate every aspect of the early years provisionand goes beyond celebrating the occasional non-mainstream festival. All nursery activities andequipment should reflect anti-bias and ensure thatall children feel valued and at home in the setting,regardless of their background.

ethnic group or if children use abusive anddiscriminatory language or behaviour, there isusually an established procedure for thesesituations. This behaviour needs to be addressed –doing nothing is not an option.


Think it over...

A candidate of mixed race is on placement in alarge nursery in a rural area. There are a fewblack or ethnic minority children in the setting.The supervisor in the room where the candidateis working is very welcoming and helpful butsays firmly that all the children are treated thesame and that none of the children, who aretwo and three years old, are aware of colour ofskin. When the candidate hears a child make aracist remark to one of the black children shetells the supervisor immediately who commentsthat she is oversensitive and won’t last long ifshe accuses young children of racism every fiveminutes. There are no witnesses to theconversation.

• How should the candidate proceed?

Children and parents discriminate tooOccasionally you will have to deal with childrenwho behave inappropriately or makediscriminatory remarks. Children may not knowthe views they are expressing are inappropriateand need to be told clearly and calmly, withappropriate explanation. For example, in a homecorner a group of girls say to a boy wishing to jointhem ‘We don’t want boys in here – they’re dirty,’or comments are made in the school playgroundto an Asian child, ‘Go home, we don’t like pakis’.In these circumstances you should explain clearlyto the child that you do not like what they havesaid and explain why their remarks were hurtful.According to Iram Siraj-Blatchford (1994), youshould support and physically comfort the abusedchild, making sure they know you support theiridentity.

If parents are openly racist and ask that theirchild does not sit with a child from a different


Investigate your setting’s approach todiscriminatory remarks or actions from childrenand parents, and how individual workers dealwith this. Think about your own approach toanti-discriminatory practice and what supportand help you may need.

People who hold discriminatory attitudes oftenhave:

• feelings that some groups are ‘less human’

• a false sense of superiority

• little empathy or consideration for others

• unreal perceptions of life

• less respect for others.

KEY ISSUES

Appropriate use of languageIt is important to be careful not to usediscriminatory language and to check that youare accurately using descriptive terms.Terminology changes and develops over time.For example, many disability groups prefer theterm ‘disabled people’ to ‘people withdisabilities’, or today the term ‘black’ is oftenpreferred to ‘coloured’.

It is important not to define people by theirdifferences but by their similarities, so that you donot limit what they can achieve. Ask for ‘strongchildren’ not ‘strong boys’. Don’t group childrenby gender, such as saying ‘boys this side, girls theother’. Why would you do this?

Check your languageSome languages are considered more importantthan others. Bullying or teasing children becauseof their home language or their name seriouslyaffects how they feel about themselves.

Many people find it difficult to know whatlanguage is acceptable when talking aboutdiscrimination. They are afraid of offendingsomeone by being unintentionally insulting. Forexample, many older people describe black peopleas ‘coloured’ as they feel using the term ‘black’could be offensive, whereas many black peoplefind the word ‘coloured’ reminds them of the daysof slavery and apartheid. Similarly, words todescribe disability are not always clear.

Most people know what constitutesdiscriminatory language. There are manyderogatory terms used against women, blackpeople or disabled people – there are far feweragainst white men, although any group may beaddressed in inappropriate language.

It is also important to learn the names of thechildren and their families and to know which istheir first name and which is their family name –this can change depending on cultural or ethnicbackground. Correct pronunciation is alsoimportant, as this shows concern and respect forthe individual.

Each child is different and has areas where they are especially talented or skilled, and areas where they may lag behind others of theirage. Yet when we think about children who have a disability, it is easy to think about thedisability first, putting the child into a categorywith other ‘disabled children’, and rarelystopping to think further about the individualbehind the label.



Learn the names of the children in your groupand how to pronounce names correctly. Findout some of the rules for naming children in different ethnic groups. Learn a few words in some of the community languages in your setting – such as ‘please’ or ‘thankyou’.

Some disability groups prefer to be called‘disabled people’ which they feel is astraightforward description of the situation;others prefer the term ‘people with disabilities’which they say concentrates on the person notthe disability. The term ‘handicapped’ is notoften used today.

• Research the terms commonly used to describedifferent aspects of disability and identifywhich groups use particular terms and why.

KEY ISSUES

Children who are disabled or who have otherspecial needs have the same rights and shouldreceive the same opportunities as other children.They should be treated as unique individuals andshould not be labelled or stereotyped, as this isdiscrimination.

Think it over...

Do you demonstrate respectful attitudes tochildren and their families, visiting adults andother staff? How can you be sure your approachis effective?

Role modellingEarly years practitioners model good practice tochildren by the way they behave and what theysay. ‘Actions speak louder than words’ is nevertruer than for young children who are watchingyou very carefully and soon see if you say onething and do another. The key issue is todemonstrate respectful attitudes and fairness andto positively welcome and build on the diversityin our society.

Disability discriminationThe effects of discrimination are discussed earlierin this unit and apply equally to disabled people.

The early years value baseEarly years practitioners have to ensure that theypromote equality, diversity and rights in their ownpractice and work to the values and principles ofthe sector. The basis of the principles and values isrespect for individual differences and the identityand dignity of children and families.


Study the rest of this section and copy and complete the table, working in a group or on your own.


PRINCIPLES PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS – HOW DO WE DO IT?

The welfare of the child is paramount.

Practitioners contribute to children’s care, learning and development and this is reflected in every aspect of practice and service provision.

Practitioners work with parents and families who are partners in the care, learning and development of their children and are the child’s first and most enduring educators.

The needs, rights and views of the child are at the centre of all practice and provision.

VALUES PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS – HOW DO WE DO IT?

Individuality, difference and diversity are valued and celebrated.

Equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice are actively promoted.

Children’s health and well-being are actively promoted.

Children’s personal and physical safety is safeguarded, while allowing for risk and challenge as appropriate to the capabilities of the child.

Self-esteem, resilience and a positive self-image are recognised as essential to every child’s development.

Confidentiality and agreements about confidential information are respected as appropriate, unless a child’s protection and well-being are at stake.

Professional knowledge, skills and values are shared appropriately in order to enrich the experience of children more widely.

Best practice requires reflection and a continuous search for improvement.

Inclusive practiceInclusion is about removing barriers to access andparticipation for individual children and theirfamilies. It is often used in relation to childrenwho have additional needs, perhaps because ofdisability or learning difficulties. However,inclusion is a much broader concept and meansmaking sure that all children feel that they‘belong’ in the setting and have equal access toresources, activities and services. Observing andassessing individual children and identifying theirneeds in partnership with parents and familieswill give you a clear idea of those who may feelexcluded or need extra help to get the most out oftheir experiences.

Empowering childrenChildren need to be encouraged from a veryearly age to deal with bullying anddiscriminatory attitudes – although adults mustalso always be there to support and protect themwhen they are needed. Children can be taughttechniques which empower them or, in otherwords, give them strategies to use to defendthemselves. Children’s self-esteem andconfidence grow if they feel they have somecontrol over their lives and if they feel that theyand their families are valued. Derman Sparks(1989) suggests that for children to feel good andconfident about themselves they need to be ableto say ‘That’s not fair’ or ‘I don’t like that’ if theyare the targets of discrimination. If they see achild abusing another child they should have theconfidence to say ‘I don’t like what you aredoing’. We should help children as much as wecan to have the confidence to stand up forthemselves and others in these situations.

Children with English as an additionallanguage are vulnerable to discrimination if theycannot communicate well in English, as are otherchildren with different communication difficulties.Communication support is very important andmay involve using interpreters and bringing inthose who speak the child’s language. Childrenwho cannot understand or communicate inEnglish will need to be clear that their homelanguage is valuable and examples of bi-lingual

books, story tapes and posters need to beavailable. Multi-lingual children often cope verywell if they have more than one language and canderive real benefits but may also need support.Children with other communication difficultiesmust have appropriate specialist support.Practitioners will find that drawing attention todialect, accents, sign language and so forth is agood way of complementing discussions oncommunity languages.



Identify how your setting gets feedback fromservice users, inspections and other sources tohelp them to be more effective in implementingthe values of the early years sector. Use thatinformation towards your own action plan.Identify what support or information you mayneed.

EnvironmentIt is important to make sure the environment isaccessible to all children who use the setting andsupports their development. The environment isboth the physical environment and the emotionalenvironment. Removing physical barriers, usingappropriate support for children who haveadditional needs and differentiating thecurriculum so that children of all abilities canparticipate are all important. The emotional

The environment needs to be physically andemotionally safe.

environment is more difficult to precisely describebut should be positive and affirming for everyone,building on and encouraging achievement, notdenigrating or criticising or focusing on thenegative. A safe emotional environment allowschildren to take risks and encourages their selfesteem.

Care routinesYour everyday routines should ensure that everychild is treated as an individual and all individualneeds are met. Allow children who require it moretime to complete activities or care routines, giveappropriate praise and reward. Make sure yourexpectations for children are high but realistic,building in lots of opportunities for praise andencouragement

Play and curricular activitiesPlay is the most important aspect of provision inearly years settings, as children learn bestthrough their play and their social relationships.They learn all about themselves and who theyare in the world. Well-thought-out play provisionwill provide many opportunities fordevelopment of positive self-esteem andresilience and this is vital if children are toachieve the best they can. Play-based activitiesshould allow children to succeed and to takerisks in their relationships, as well as physicalchallenges.

✱ Promote equality, diversity and rights throughplay.

✱ Encourage boys to talk and express theirfeelings appropriately.

✱ Encourage girls to use construction equipmentand outdoor equipment such as bikes orclimbing frames.

✱ Encourage boys to use the home corner.

✱ Don’t expect girls to tidy up after boys.

✱ Don’t condone overly boisterous behaviourfrom boys or allow it to disrupt otherchildren’s experiences.

✱ Encourage all parents to participate in the lifeof the nursery.

Circle time with childrenCircle time is when children gather together insmall groups and sit in a circle with an adult theyknow, such as a key worker, and where they cansee and hear each other. Circle time variesbetween settings but is often used to:

✱ provide an opportunity for children to shareviews, ideas and feelings

✱ develop skills in language and communication

✱ support personal, social and emotionaldevelopment.

Usually circle time is kept to around ten minutesor so, but this may vary depending on thechildren involved. It should never be used withchildren who are too young or who are notdevelopmentally ready to ‘sit still’. Properlyconducted circle time works well with primaryage children and can be used with older nurserychildren. Children should not be forced to takepart and speaking in the group should bevoluntary.

Skilled adults should support circle time.Many use the time for questions and discussionappropriate to the age of the children in ways thatstress similarities between people and races,rather than emphasising differences. This is amuch more effective way of ensuring co-operationand respect. It is also important to encouragechildren to look at other points of view. Forexample, if a child is upset at something that hasbeen said to them, encourage empathy by askingthe other children to consider how they wouldfeel if someone said something similar to them?


Think it over...

It is very easy to stereotype boys or to believethat natural physical differences are solelyresponsible for their behaviour. This could leadto aggressive and sometimes difficult behaviourbeing tolerated from boys where the samebehaviour in girls would not be allowed. It isimportant that we see both boys and girls asindividuals with their own personalities,strengths and weaknesses and avoidstereotyping.

You can also:

✱ use the time to suggest ways of sharing andresolving conflicts

✱ discuss differences, such as in colour or shapeof face or features, personality or ability,always in a positive and sensitive way withoutlabelling

✱ set rules for circle time such as nointerruptions and accepting that others havecomments and feelings to share.

Activities, equipment, books andpictures✱ Learn to use these thoughtfully and with

understanding.

✱ Use equipment with which children canidentify and that reflects diversity, such asblack-skinned dolls, dressing up clothes from different cultures, multi-ethnic kitchenutensils.

✱ Ensure that there are positive images of girls,disability and ethnic minority groups in thenursery.

✱ Value languages that are not English andsupport bi-lingual children.

✱ Encourage children to use their home languageduring role play.

✱ Use dual-language books, labels and posters.

✱ Ensure that all nursery activities are adaptablefor use by children with special needs.

Persona dollsPersona dolls are special dolls that representdifferent people and are not usually kept with theother toys and equipment.

These dolls can be very helpful in explainingdiversity and exploring concepts of discriminationwith children. For example, the doll couldrepresent a child from an ethnic minority and canbe used to discuss feelings and difficult issues onestep removed from the children.

Events and opportunities✱ Settings should explore with their communities

whether celebrating religious and culturalevents is appropriate.

✱ Use festivals to celebrate diversity not just topay lip service to different cultures or religions.Be authentic and don’t just dwell on the exoticaspects.

✱ Invite parents and members of the communityin to talk to children and work with them.


Devise a leaflet for an early years settingexplaining to parents the policy on equality,diversity and rights and how early yearspractitioners will promote these. Talk to othercandidates and think of frequently askedquestions (FAQs) about these topics to include inyour leaflet, with a model answer for each.


Practice implications ofconfidentialityHow confidential information comes into thesetting, how it is recorded and stored and how itis retrieved from storage are all points where thewrong people can find out things. For example, ifinformation is received by fax or email it cansometimes be seen by those for whom it is notintended. Therefore, a setting will need to havesystems for receiving, recording and storingconfidential information.

Clearly children’s records should be storedsecurely as well as medical or court reports, case


• Undertake an audit of two or three types ofresources in your setting, such as books,domestic play equipment, posters andpictures, dolls, puzzles and games.

• Check the resources for an anti-bias approachand whether they promote equality, diversityand rights.

• Select the resource that best encouragesequality of opportunity. Say why you havechosen this resource instead of one of theothers.

conference material and so forth. Staff must beclear about who has access to what and in whatcircumstances. Use of IT can be controlled andmade secure by the use of passwords and othermeans of limiting access. Storage of data iscontrolled by the Data Protection Act 1998 andinvolves limitations on what basis data can bestored and who is entitled to see it. This Actrepealed the Access to Personal Files Act 1987 –together with its subsidiary regulations – and theAccess to Health Records Act 1990. Except on rareoccasions, people are entitled to see records keptabout them, including medical, social work,housing and school records and children’s recordskept by early years settings.

Where face-to-face interviews and discussionstake place, participants should be clear at the startthat what is said must be confidential, includingany notes or minutes taken and where recordingdevices or video have been used.

In most circumstances the relationship betweenchildren, their parents and the early yearspractitioner is one of trust, based on a professionalrelationship where confidentiality is the rule.Parents must feel able to share with staff anyissues that affect children and many of these willbe deeply personal, such as changes to thehousehold when a parent moves out or anotheradult moves in. Students in placements mustnever discuss or write about the children andfamilies in their care outside the setting, exceptwith prior written permission.

Day-to-day work with children and familieswill necessitate some recording of information;this should be done sensitively and accurately.You should record what you see and hearobjectively and without bias. You should notexpress opinion unless it is firmly based onevidence.

There are, however, some circumstances whereconfidentiality cannot be guaranteed and these aremainly to do with child protection. If a childdiscloses abuse of any type or where the

practitioner suspects abuse, they must report thisimmediately to a responsible, senior member ofstaff. In turn, senior staff will act according to thesetting’s policies and procedures for childprotection. If a child or anyone close to the childreports abuse they must be told that thisinformation cannot remain confidential (see Unit 5for more information).


• Identify scenarios when you may wish todiscuss children and/or families outside thesetting.

• How might families feel if you break theirconfidence?

• Identify legislation that both protects therights of the individual and sometimes mayoverride the rights of individuals and think ofexamples affecting children and families.

• Write a report evaluating your examples andhow legislation works to provide for the rightsof individuals.


There are other issues that may interfere withthe confidential relationship between families andthe setting, for example drug dealing on thesetting’s premises, or where theft is a problem.These issues always have to be dealt with on theirown merits, but are likely to involve the policeand may result in the necessary sharing ofconfidential information.

All individuals in the UK have some protectionthrough the Data Protection Act 1998. This Actgives legal rights to individuals in respect ofpersonal data held about them by others.However, there is no other requirement orabsolute right to confidentiality. In practice itwould be difficult to keep confidentiality insettings where information has to be exchangedbetween staff and between agencies. Ifinformation is sensitive, permission should besought before passing to others.


END-OF-UNIT TEST

1 Explain the term ‘diversity’.

2 Evaluate the statement ‘the UK is an equal society’.

3 Identify the meaning of the terms ‘values’ and ‘beliefs’.

4 Describe three key points from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and explain howthese affect early years practice.

5 Describe what is meant by the term ‘human rights’.

6 Identify and explain three reasons why an understanding of equality, diversity and rights isimportant to early years services.

7 Describe three ways in which diversity in our society can be celebrated within the early yearssetting.

8 Explain how holding prejudiced views can affect our work with children and families. Give twoexamples.

9 Explain how children learn attitudes and values.

10 Identify an example of when a family’s right to confidentiality may be overridden.

11 In the nursery you overhear a member of staff telling a parent, ‘We treat all the children exactlythe same in this nursery’. Analyse whether this attitude encourages equality of opportunity.

12 Evaluate how Persona dolls could assist children’s understanding of equality and diversity.

13 Describe why partnership with parents is important for early years practitioners.

14 Explain how circle time with children can be used to promote anti-discrimination.

15 Evaluate the reasons why confidentiality is important in early years practice.

References and further readingCommission for Racial Equality, (1989), FromCradle to School, London: CRE

Council for the Disabled, (1995), Help Starts Here,London: NCB

Brown, B (1998), Unlearning Discrimination in theEarly Years, Trentham Books

Dare, A and O’Donovan, M (1997), Good Practice inCaring for Young Children with Special Needs,Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes

Denziloe, J and Dickins, M (revised 2002), AllTogether: How to create inclusive services for disabledchildren and their families, National Early YearsNetwork

Department of Health (1989), Children Act,London: HMSO

Derman-Sparks, L (1989), Anti-Bias Curriculum,Washington, DC: National Association for theEducation of Young Children

DfES (2003), Every Child Matters, London: DfES

DfES (2001), SEN Code of Practice, London: DfES

DfES (2001), SEN Toolkit. London: DfES

Early Years Trainers Anti Racist Network –EYTARN (revised 1999), All Our Children: A guidefor those who care

Early Childhood Education Forum (1998), Qualityand Diversity in Early Learning, London: NationalChildren’s Bureau

Equal Opportunities Commission, An Equal Start,Manchester: EOC

Equal Opportunities Commission (Scotland), AnEqual Opportunities Guide for Parents, Glasgow: EOC

Hyder, T and Kenway, P (1995), An Equal Future: A guide to anti-sexist practice in the early years,National Early Years Network

Hyder, T and Rutter, J (1998), Refugee Children inthe Early Years: Issues for policymakers and providers,Save the Children/Refugee Council

Lane, J (1999), Action for Racial Equality in the EarlyYears: Understanding the past, thinking about thepresent, planning for the future, National Early YearsNetwork

Maxime, J (1991), Towards a Transcultural Approachto Working with Under Sevens, Conference reportfor the Early Years Trainers Anti-racist networkand the National Children’s Bureau, Wallasey:EYTARN

Lancaster, P and Broadbent, V (2003), Listening toYoung Children, Open University Press

Milner, D (1983), Children and Race: 10 years on,Ward Lock Educational

Pre-school Learning Alliance (2001), Equal Chances:Eliminating discrimination and ensuring equality inpre-school settings

Siraj-Blatchford, I and Clarke, P (2000), SupportingIdentity, Diversity and Language in the Early Years,Oxford: OUP

Siraj-Blatchford, I (1994), The Early Years: Laying thefoundation for racial equality, Staffordshire:Trentham Books

Woolfson, R (1991), Children with Special Needs,London: Faber and Faber

Working Group against Racism in Children’sResources (1990), Guidelines for the Evaluation andSelection of Toys and Other Resources for Children,London: WGARCR

Working Group against Racism in Children’sResources, Early Years Student Information Pack, aseries of articles regularly updated costing £7 attime of writing

Useful websitesCommission for Racial Equality – www.cre.org.uk

Equal Opportunities Commission –www.eoc.org.uk

Every Child Matters –www.everychildmatters.gov.uk

Home Office (for information on Human RightsUnit) – www.homeoffice.gov.uk

National Disability Council – www.disability-council.gov.uk

Refugee Council – www.refugeecouncil.org.uk

Sure Start – www.surestart.gov.uk


ArticlesBandura, A, ‘Perceived self-efficacy in the exerciseof personal agency’, The Psychologist, 1989, Volume2, Issue 10

Dickins, M, ‘All about Anti-discriminatoryPractice’, Nursery World, 3 January 2002, Volume102, No. 3796

Lane, J, ‘Dealing with prejudice anddiscrimination: the issues and in practice’,Practical Pre-School, January 2001, Issue 2

Lane, J, ‘Working together within a “no-blameculture”‘, Network News (the newsletter of theEarly Years Trainers Anti Racist Network), July2002, Volume 4, Issue 2

VideosPersona Doll Training (2001), Persona Dolls inAction with support book. Available from 51Granville Road, London N12 OJH. Also availablefrom EYTARN

Save the Children/The Refugee Council (2001), InSafe Hands, a resource and training pack tosupport work with young refugee children. Alsoavailable from EYTARN

Organisations that providepublications on equality issuesAlliance for Inclusive Education, Unit 2, GroundFloor, 70 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1RLTel: 0207 735 5277

Early Years Equality, PO Box 3428, Chester, CH1 9BX, Tel/Fax: 01244 310569 Email: [email protected]

Persona Doll Training United Kingdom, 51 Granville Road, London, N12 0JH Fax: 0208 446 7591 Email: [email protected]

Working Group against Racism in Children’sResources, Unit 63A, Eurolink Business Centre, 49Effra Road, London SW2 1BZ Tel: 0207 501 9992


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