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Staff are committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity by providing services which are accessible and relevant to children and families of all backgrounds and cultures within the local community. We respect and celebrate difference, and will promote the principles of tolerance, understanding, and respect for others. No one will be discriminated against including children and their families, staff members or visitors to the centre on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, or social background.

 

The legal framework for this policy is:

Human Rights Act 1998

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1998

The Children Act 1989 & 2004

The Equality Act 2006 & 2010

Race Relations Amendment Act 2000.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2001.

 

 

 

The policy aims:

 

• Make inclusion a common thread that runs through all the activities of our services.

• Provide accessible services to all children and families within the local community that meet diverse needs.

• Promote diversity and foster good relations between the various and diverse groups who use the centre.

• Eliminate discrimination by improving our knowledge and understanding of issues of anti-discriminatory practice, promoting equality and valuing diversity.

• Advance equality of opportunity between the groups represented among families and staff.

• Monitor and develop services to ensure they do not discriminate or exclude.

 

 

We aim to encourage children and families from all backgrounds to take part in the activities on offer and we monitor the uptake of our services to ensure that they are accessible and relevant to different community groups. 

 

We meet our policy aims by:

 

Welcoming everyone

• We do not discriminate against anyone or refuse entry to our services based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, or social background, such as being a member of a travelling community or an asylum seeker.

• We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that all children are able to participate in the activities offered by us and overcome any barriers to participation. This may relate to sensory or physical impairment, learning difficulties or emotional or social development, or may relate to factors in their environment.  (see our Special Education Needs Policy and Inclusion Policy).

• We act against any discriminatory behaviour by staff or parents. Displaying openly racist insignia, distribution of racist material, name calling, or threatening behaviour are unacceptable on or around the premises and will be dealt with in the strongest manner.

 

Having staff who value diversity in families.

• We welcome the diversity of family lifestyles and work with all families.

• Training in equality and diversity is available to all staff.

• Our staff work to create a friendly environment, with an open-door policy, where parents/carers feel able to communicate and voice their opinions freely.

• We encourage children and parents/carers to celebrate their identity.

• We encourage children to contribute stories of their everyday life, for example through photo albums of our families, projects, and general discussions.

• We encourage parents/carers to take part through; newsletters, Seashells TV, face book, topic letters, social and fundraising events, and Tapestry (our online learning journal for children’s development), attending face to face and virtual groups, activities, events, and courses.

 

Working in partnership with Parents and Carers

• We listen and respond to views of the community through consultation and participation.

• Parents and carers can give regular feedback through surveys and evaluations and ad hoc compliments and comments are recorded in the logs for monitoring.

• Where appropriate we communicate verbally daily with parents/carers.

• We encourage parents/carers to become involved in social events throughout the year and/or to be involved in our Parents’/Carers’ forum.

• We work closely with the parent/main carer of the child with disabilities to ensure they can participate successfully in the services offered by the centre and settings in accordance with the EYFS.

• We work in partnership with parents/carers to ensure that the medical, cultural, and dietary needs of children are met.

• We ensure that all parents are made aware of this policy and any policy reviews.

• Any changes in policy are communicated in written format.

 

Communicating so that people can understand.

• We provide information in clear, concise language, whether in spoken or written form.

• We advertise our service widely in different languages and formats.

• We will take all reasonable steps to ensure the full inclusion of families who speak languages other than English.

• We reflect the diversity of members of our society in our publicity and promotional materials.

 

Through learning, play and the centre’s activities.

• We will provide an environment where all children can flourish and in which all contributions are valued.

• We will encourage children to develop positive attitudes about themselves as well as to people who are different from themselves (in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage).

• We will encourage children to empathise with others and begin to develop the skills of critical thinking (in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage).

• We will promote positive, non-stereotypical images about diverse ethnic and cultural groups, people with disabilities or special educational needs and we will help children to value other people’s ideas and contributions.

• We help children to learn about a range of food, and of cultural approaches to mealtimes and eating, and to respect the differences among them.

• When planning a new service, we will assess any impact on equality.

 

Taking complaints seriously

• Any family who feels they have been unfairly treated or discriminated against by Seashells or the settings have the right to make a complaint and have their complaint heard and acted upon accordingly. 

• Our policy for handling complaints is defined in the Curious Children Complaints Policy.

                                

Through the implementation of this policy

• All staff are made aware of this policy as part of their induction, reviews, and training.

• This policy is linked to all Centre policies but has relevance to the following policies: Food and Drink, Partnership with Parents and Carers, Play, and SEN/Inclusion Policy.