Equality procedures
Promoting inclusion, equality and valuing diversity
We actively promote inclusion, equality of opportunity and value diversity. All early years providers have
legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010. Those in receipt of public funding also have public equality
duties to eliminate discrimination, promote equality, foster good relations with individuals and groups with
protected characteristics namely disability, race (ethnicity), religion and belief, sexual orientation, sex
(gender), gender reassignment, age, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership. Providers
also have obligations under the Prevent Duty (2015 updated 2023) which highlights the need to foster
equality and prevent children from being drawn into harm and radicalisation.
Promoting identity, positive self-concept and self-esteem for all children through treating each child
as an individual and with equal concern, ensuring each child’s developmental and emotional needs
are recognised and met.
- Promoting inclusive practice to ensure every child is welcomed and valued.
- Discussing aspects of family/child identity with parents/carers when settling in a new child.
- Maintaining a positive non-judgemental attitude and use of language with children to talk about topics
such as family composition/background, eye and skin colour, hair texture, sex, gender, physical attributes
and languages spoken (including signing). - Becoming knowledgeable about different cultures, and individual subjective perceptions of these and
being able to reflect them imaginatively and creatively in the setting to create pride, interest and positive
self-identity. - Discussing similarities and differences positively without bias and judgement.
- Celebrating festivals, holy days and special days authentically through involving parents, staff or the wider
community to provide a positive experience for all. - Providing books with positive images of children and families from all backgrounds and abilities. Avoiding
caricatures or cartoon-like depictions, and ensuring individual differences are portrayed with sensitive
accuracy. The central characters in individual stories should provide a positive, broad representation of
diversity e.g. disability, ethnicity, sex and gender, age and social backgrounds. Individual storylines
should contain a range of situations which are easily identifiable by children such as those that include
disabled children/adults, different ethnic groups, mixed heritage families, gender diversity, single
sex/same and different sex families, multi-generational households and cultural diversity. - Providing visual materials, such as posters and pictures that provide non-stereotypical images of people,
places and cultures and roles that are within children’s range of experience. This includes photographs
taken by staff of the local and wider community, of parents/carers and families and local events.
Policies & Procedures for the EYFS 2024/25 (Early Years Alliance 2024)
- Using textiles, prints, sculptures or carvings from diverse cultures in displays.
- Providing artefacts from a range of cultures, particularly for use in all areas of the setting, not just in the
home corner. - Ensuring toys, learning materials and resources reflect diversity and provide relevant materials for
exploring aspects of difference, such as skin tone paints and pens. - Developing a range of activities through which children can explore aspects of their identity, explore
similarities, differences and develop empathy including: - self-portraits, photograph albums and displays showing a range of families
- books about ‘me’ or my family
- persona doll stories which sympathetically and authentically represent diversity
- food activities, such as tasting and cooking, creating real menu additions
- activities about real celebrations such as new babies, weddings, cultural and religious events
- use of textiles and secular artefacts in the room, and to handle and explore, that demonstrate valuing
of the cultures from which they come - creating textiles such as tie dying, batik and creative use of textiles
- provide mirrors at different heights for babies and other non-ambulant children
- developing a music area with a variety of musical instruments for babies and children to use to create
a range of music. - creating an art and mark making area with a variety of materials from other countries such as wood
blocks for printing, Chinese calligraphy brushes etc. - home corner play which encourages all children to equally participate and provides domestic articles
from diverse cultures - ‘dressing up’ materials which promote non-gendered roles and enable children to explore different
gender identities/gender neutrality - providing dolls that sensitively and accurately portray difference such as disability and ethnicity
- use of a variety of music to play to children of different genres and cultural styles with a variety of
musical instruments for children to access - a language and literacy area with a variety of books, some with dual language texts and signs,
involving parents in the translation where possible. - examples of writing in other scripts from everyday sources such as papers and magazines, packaging
etc. children’s names written on cards in English as well as in their home language script where
appropriate - labels for children’s paintings or other work are made with their name in English and home language
script (parents can help with this)
Policies & Procedures for the EYFS 2024/25 (Early Years Alliance 2024)
- conversations with young children which explore unfamiliar objects and subjects to help foster an
understanding of diversity and identity such as spectacles or hearing aids, religious and cultural
practices
Record keeping that refers to children’s emerging bilingual skills or their use of sign language as
achievements in positive terms.
Record keeping that refers to children’s differing abilities and identities in positive terms.
Records that show the relevant involvement of all children, especially children with special educational
needs and disabilities, those using English as an additional language and those who are ‘more abled’ in
the planning of their care and education.
Fostering positive attitudes and challenging discrimination.
Young children are learning how to grow up in a diverse world and develop appropriate attitudes. This
can be difficult, and they may make mistakes and pick up inappropriate attitudes or just get the ‘wrong
idea’ that may underlie attitudes of ‘pre-prejudice’ towards specific individuals/groups. Where children
make remarks or behave in a discriminatory or prejudice way or make inappropriate comments that arise
from not knowing facts, staff should explain why these actions are not acceptable and provide appropriate
information and intervention to reinforce children’s understanding and learning.
Where children make overtly prejudice or discriminatory remarks they are dealt with as above, and the
issue is raised with the parents/carers.
When children wish to explore aspects of their identity such as ethnicity or gender, they should be listened
to in an understanding and non-judgemental way.
Parents/carers are expected to abide by the policy for inclusion, diversity and equality and to support their
child in the aims of the setting.
Implementing an equality strategy to foster a ‘can do’ approach
Every provider should have an equality strategy in place outlining their vision on equality alongside a
timetabled list of actions summarising how they build equality into the provision and how this is monitored
and evaluated.
An equality check and access audit are completed to ensure that there are no barriers to inclusion of any
child, families and visitors to the setting.
Early years providers in receipt of nursery education funding are covered by the public sector equality
duty. These bodies must have regard of the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of
opportunity, foster good relations between disabled and non-disabled persons, and publish information
to show their compliance with the duty.
Promoting dynamic and balanced mixed gender, culturally, socially, and linguistically diverse staff
teams who work constructively together in providing for diverse communities.
Policies & Procedures for the EYFS 2024/25 (Early Years Alliance 2024)
It is recognised that members of staff in diverse teams bring a range of views and opinions to the setting
regarding a range of issues to do with the job. It is important that a range of views and perspectives are
shared and respected in staff meetings and that decisions are made on which way of looking at the
situation will result in the best outcomes for the child.
Staff views are sought where these offer individuals, social and/or cultural insight, although staff should
not be put in an uncomfortable position of being an ‘expert’ or ‘ambassador’.
Staff respect similarities and differences between each other and users such as ability, disability, religious
and personal beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment etc. Staff do not discriminate or harass
individuals on the grounds of these or encourage any other member of staff to do so; evidence of such
will be dealt with by management immediately.
Members of staff make the best use of different perspectives in the team to find solutions to difficult
problems that arise in socially/culturally complex situations.
Members of staff support each other to highlight similarities and respect differences.
Members of staff of both sexes carry out all tasks according to their job description; there are no jobs that
are designated men’s or women’s jobs.
Staff are sensitive to the fact that male workers are under-represented in the early years workforce so
may be more likely to experience inequality and discrimination.
Staff should be aware that male workers may be more vulnerable to allegations. Therefore, work practices
should be developed to minimise this. These practices are valuable for all staff.
Where staff may feel threatened, or under attack, from discriminatory behaviour, staff and managers
follow procedure 01.12 Threats and abuse towards staff and volunteers.
There is an ethos wherein staff, parents/carers and children are free to express themselves and speak
their own languages in ways that enhance the culture of the setting.
Ensuring that barriers to equality and inclusion are identified and removed or minimised wherever
possible.
Barriers may include:
- lack of understanding – where the language spoken at the setting is not that which is spoken at a
child’s home - perceived barriers – affordability where parents/carers are not aware of financial support available
or assume that a service is not available to them. Perceived barriers may also be physical barriers
for those children or parents with a disability or additional needs where they assume, they will not be
able to access the service - physical barriers – where there are environmental features which stop a disabled child or disabled
parent accessing the setting such as stairs
Policies & Procedures for the EYFS 2024/25 (Early Years Alliance 2024)
- negative attitudes – stereotypes and prejudices or commitment by staff and managers to the time
and energy required to identify and remove barriers to accessibility - unconscious and conscious bias of staff towards some families such as those from other
backgrounds, disabled parents/carers, same sex parents/carers and families with specific religious
beliefs - gendered views of staff which limit children’s aspirations and choices
- misconceptions such as disabled children should not attend settings during a pandemic due to
heightened risk - lack of effective Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the homes of families who are
vulnerable or at risk and therefore unable to keep in close contact with the childcare provider
Staff are aware of the different barriers to inclusion and equality and consider the wider implications for
children and their families.
Supporting children to become considerate adults
Children’s social and emotional development is shaped by early experiences and relationships and
incorporates elements of equality and British and Universal values. The EYFS supports children’s
earliest skills in an age appropriate way to become social citizens, namely listen and attend to
instructions; know the difference between right and wrong; recognise similarities and differences
between themselves and others; make and maintain friendships; develop empathy and consideration of
other people; take turns in play and conversation; risk taking behaviours, rules and boundaries; not to
hurt/upset other people with words and actions; consequences of hurtful/discriminatory behaviour and
regulating behaviour.
British values
The fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance
for those with different faiths and beliefs are already implicitly embedded in the Early Years Foundation
Stage.
Democracy: making decisions together - For self-confidence and self-awareness (PSED), educators encourage children to see the bigger
picture, children know their views count, value each other’s views and values and talk about feelings
e.g. when they do or do not need help. - Supporting the decisions children make and providing activities that involve turn-taking, sharing and
collaboration. Children are given opportunities to develop enquiring minds, where questions are valued
and prejudice attitudes less likely.
Rule of law: understanding rules matter (PSED) - Educators ensure children understand their and others’ behaviour and consequence.
Policies & Procedures for the EYFS 2024/25 (Early Years Alliance 2024)
- Educators collaborate with children to create rules and codes of behaviour, e.g. rules about tidying up
and ensure all children understand that rules apply to everyone.
Individual liberty: freedom for all (PSED & UW) - Children should develop a positive sense of themselves. Staff provide opportunities for children to
develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and increase their confidence in their own abilities, for
example through allowing children to take risks on an obstacle course, mixing colours, exploring facets
of their own identity, talking about their experiences and learning. Educators encourage a range of
experiences, allow children to explore the language of feelings and responsibility, reflect on differences
and understand we are free to have different opinions, for example in a small group discuss what they
feel about transferring into Reception Class.
Mutual respect and tolerance: treat others as you want to be treated (PSED & UW) - Staff create an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance where views, faiths, cultures and races are valued, and
children are engaged with the wider community. - Children should acquire tolerance, appreciation and respect for their own and other cultures; know
about similarities and differences between themselves, others and among families, faiths, communities,
cultures and traditions. - Staff encourage and explain the importance of tolerant behaviours such as sharing and respecting
other’s opinions. - Staff promote diverse attitudes and challenge stereotypes, for example, sharing stories that reflect and
value the diversity of children’s experiences and providing resources and activities that challenge
gender, cultural/racial stereotyping.
It is not acceptable to:
actively promote intolerance of other faiths, cultures and races
fail to challenge gender stereotypes and routinely segregate girls and boys
isolate children from their wider community
fail to challenge behaviours (whether of staff, children, or parents/carers) that are not in line with the
fundamental values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those
with different faiths and beliefs