Hi a very warm welcome to the site.
Your setting will have policies and procedures in place that state how families and children are welcomed to the setting and how practitioners are expected to carry this out. This means it's important to understand the effect of discrimination on individuals (
search for 'effect discrimination' inside this handbook & click to page 302). Not discriminating involves being aware of how language is used, for example; labels that stereotype, words that shame or cause distress. You work in a sector that supports and promotes children's development and the view that they have of themselves - self-identity, self-worth, self-confidence, self-awareness and having a sense of belonging.
Effects of discrimination include;
- not being able to fulfill potential
- finding it hard to form relationships
- be affected by stereotypes or labels
- feel shame
- feel they are in someway to blame
- lack confidence to try new activities
- be aggressive towards others
Consider what you know about different cultures and how they're explored in your setting. What artifacts, books, toys and activities such as cooking, dressing up, music and festivals are celebrated. Think about what might happen if individuals were excluded instead of includeds and how damaging that would be to the family and to the local community, if the setting didn't give children equal access to these resources.
Page 410 of this EYE handbook explains
- diversity as: the differences in values, attitudes, cultures, beliefs, skills and life experiences of each individual in any group.
- Equality: allowing the same access for every child and family to full participation for all services.
- Inclusion and inclusive practice: the process of ensuring the equality of learning opportunities for all children and young people.
Page 132 looks at how practitioners are required to work in ways that support diversity, equality and inclusion so that individual children's needs are met.
Hope this helps a little xx