I Know I Matter to You Glossary of terms used in this publication Diversity Inclusion We use this term to mean the range of We use this term to mean the process of visible and non-visible differences that identifying, understanding and breaking exist between people. Valuing diversity down the barriers to participation and means respecting and acknowledging these belonging. (Early Childhood Forum definition) differences, and engaging everyone who uses a service for the benefit of each individual Parents and the service as a whole. We use the term parents to include all parents and carers. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) The EYFS is a framework of guidance and Practitioner statutory requirements for every early years We use this term to mean all people working setting working with children from birth with children. This includes early years to five years. Early years settings include workers, playworkers, childminders and nurseries, childminders and pre-schools. Its children’s centre workers and includes both overarching aim is to give young children the staff and volunteers. best possible start in life. For current EYFS guidance go to www.education.gov.uk Setting Equality We use this term to mean the environment We use this term to mean the recognition where the child is playing and learning. of the diverse needs of individuals and the This includes pre-schools, day nurseries, removal of discrimination, prejudice and childminders, crèches, children’s centres, out barriers, be these physical, attitudinal or of school clubs and playgroups. institutional, that limit what people can do and be. Acknowledgements This publication was developed in 2010 with Essex County Council: contributions and support from the Early Early Years and Childcare Service Years and Childcare Equality Steering Group, which included representation from the Essex Libraries Service following organisations/teams: Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement 4Children Service (EMTAS) National Childminding Association (NCMA) Family Information Service National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Integrated Youth Service (IYS) Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) Special Educational Needs and Children with Additional Needs (SENCAN) It has been updated in 2012 to reflect the changes in policy, practice and legislation © 2012 Essex County Council Within this publication, I Know I Matter to You, designated pages are marked as copyright free. These pages may be reproduced by all early years and childcare settings in Essex. Pages not designated as copyright free are subject to copyright. Reproduction of these pages is only allowed with permission from Essex County Council. The information within this publication was correct at the time of going to print. 2 I Know I Matter to You Contents Page Glossary of terms used in this publication 2 Acknowledgements 2 Introduction 5 Chapter One: Children’s Rights and Entitlements 1.1 Introduction 5 1.2 Important legislation 9 1.3 Activity: Using language to convey respect 13 1.4 Participation – meaningful ways to listen to children 17 1.5 Activity: Enabling children to express their views 18 Chapter Two: Equality and Diversity 2.1 Identifying children at greatest risk of discrimination 22 2.2 Information to raise awareness of different social and cultural groups 24 2.3 Social model of disability 33 2.4 Activity: Asking questions 35 Chapter Three: Early Support 3.1 Introduction to the Early Support approach 37 3.2 Activity: Partnership working with families 41 3.3 Activity: What do you see? 43 Chapter Four: Effective Practice 4.1 Working in partnership with parents 45 4.2 Systems to promote equality 49 4.3 Activity: Showing respect 52 Chapter Five: Challenges and Dilemmas 5.1 What kind of challenges might you face? 54 5.2 Responding to inappropriate remarks and behaviour 55 Chapter Six: Reflecting on Practice 6.1 Introduction to reflective practice 58 6.2 Using the Ofsted Self Evaluation Form 60 6.3 Activity: What is it like for a child here? 61 Conclusion 63 Directory of services 64 I Know I Matter to You 3 Introduction Every child deserves to be treated with respect and to be able to access services that meet their needs. Whatever service you are providing, it must be able to adapt to meet the needs of all children. We know from research that some groups are more likely to experience disadvantage and discrimination than others, and there is now a legal duty on us to actively promote equality and to try and ensure that all children have equal access to our services, regardless of their own or their parents’ ethnicity, disability, religion, gender, age, gender indentity, pregnancy or maternity or sexual orientation. I Know I Matter to You is for anybody I Know I Matter to You is complemented by working with young children. It has been a programme of inclusion training, which written primarily with early years and is being provided by Essex Early Years and childcare settings in mind, but professionals Childcare. Information on training courses working in other contexts, for example currently offered is available from the early children’s centres, out of school providers years and childcare service, contact details and volunteers, such as those running baby in the directory on page 65. and toddler groups, will also find sections that are relevant to them. There are six chapters which can be dipped into, or read in any order. Their titles come from the Early Years Foundation Stage, Commitment 1:2 Inclusive Practice. Each chapter consists of information and an activity. Most of the activities can be done by an individual alone, or used in group meetings or training sessions. I Know I Matter to You will support settings with raising quality, through offering an opportunity for continuing professional development and updating the knowledge and skills around equality and diversity of members of staff. It also clearly supports “The term inclusion is commonly the implementation of the Early Years used to describe the integration of Foundation Stage for early years settings, disabled people into society and and will support all those working with children in improving outcomes for children. disabled children into education and care. However, it is now being used in a wider context to mean the equal inclusion of all children and adults into all aspects of society.” From All Together Now, Pre-school Learning Alliance, 2011 4 I Know I Matter to You 5 Chapter One: Children’s Rights and Entitlements 1.1 Introduction Resources: For further information on the UN Children’s rights and entitlements in the Convention, visit the Unicef website UK are covered by an international human www.unicef.org/magic/briefing/uncorc.html rights treaty called the United Nations Here you can find information on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. convention and summaries of the articles in different languages, including child-friendly The United Nations Convention on versions. the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an international treaty that applies to all children and young people up to the age of 18. It gives children and young people a comprehensive set of rights and “All children are citizens and have is separated into 54 articles or sections rights and entitlements.” covering different aspects of childhood and rights and freedoms. Early Years Foundation Stage: 1.2 Inclusive Practice All children and young people have all the rights in the Convention. Some groups of children and young people – for example those living away from home, and young disabled people – have additional rights. The UK Government agreed to make all laws, policy and practice compatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child when it ratified it in 1991. This means that the legislation that applies to you as an early years or childcare practitioner will also reflect the principles of the UNCRC. The Early Years Foundation Stage themes link into the articles of the Convention. This is explored further within this section. 4 I Know I Matter to You 5 Provision, Protection and Participation rights: The three P’s Children’s rights can be divided up into the following three categories: Provision rights - these are things that children need: Education Health care Parental support An adequate standard of living, including adequate hygiene and sanitation Good nutrition, including access to clean drinking water Protection rights - these recognise that children can be at risk of maltreatment: Protection from abuse and neglect Privacy and the right to family life Protection from armed conflict Protection from harmful drugs Protection from sale or trafficking Protection from treatment that could harm health or development Fair treatment within the law Rehabilitation after abuse or neglect Protection from work that is detrimental to health or education Participation rights - these are about respect for the child and their views: A name, a nationality and a family Rest, leisure, play and recreation To take part in cultural life and the arts Freedom of expression Freedom of information, as long as it is not damaging To meet up in groups and to make friends To practise a religion To use the family language 6 I Know I Matter to You I Know I Matter to You 7 6 I Know I Matter to You to IMatter I Know The chart below sets out how the commitments within the four Themes of the EYFS link to articles of the UNCRC. Many of the articles link to more than one theme of the EYFS. Can you identify other commitments that link to the articles? Unique Child Positive Relationships Enabling Environments Learning and Development Link to 1:1 Child Development Link to 2:2 Parents as Partners Link to 3:4 The Wider Context 4:4 Areas of Learning and All organisations concerned with If parents decide to live apart, All organisations concerned with Development children, for example, schools children have the right to stay in children, for example, schools All children have the right to and the health service, should contact with both parents.