Early Level:
Principle 8

Our children will learn that everyone has a right to be safeguarded from racism and discrimination, and will be empowered to challenge any infringement of this right. 

This principle makes clear that regardless of a person’s identity, they have the right to not experience violence and abuse. It is about ensuring children feel safe and confident to talk about their lived experiences and know that they will be listened to, taken seriously and that incidents will be addressed. This will empower children and help them to challenge racism and discrimination if they see or experience it. 

Unpacking the principle

Questions and considerations

Do spaces … 

  • make it clear to parents, carers and  children who they can talk to if they  experience racism or witness a racist  incident, and are encouraged to do this?

  • create safe(r) spaces and small group time where children can ask for help  confidently? 

  • enable children to express themselves in  the way that is most natural to them to  raise concerns and support them to explore other ways of expressing themselves? 

Do interactions … 

  • enable children to share their lived  experiences, for these to be listened to and taken seriously? 

  • show empathy and acknowledge the  seriousness of what children share and how it has affected them?  

  • co-create clear procedures for what to do if friends are being treated unfairly or if we feel we have been treated unfairly?

Spaces and experiences

Spaces 

Safe and comfortable spaces should always be available for children to  share their experiences or concerns with a trusted adult and where children can feel safe and understand that they will be listened to and taken seriously. Issues or disputes that arise amongst children can form the topics of small group discussions where children hear from each other how they can peacefully resolve the dispute. Agreeing with children on cues which show when they might need to discuss something can support children in raising something with a practitioner.  

Experiences 

Read: My Hair, Hannah Lee  Discuss: where do  you go to get your hair cut? Which hair styles do you know? Which styles do the members of your family like? Which new ones did you learn from the book? Do you like people touching your hair? When is it nice and when is it not?  

Suggested Activity: role play conversations to explore how to respond to negative comments or unwanted touch and how to ask for help in a clear and confident way. For example, ‘That isn’t kind/Stop saying that/I don’t like that/Do not touch my hair or skin without asking me/Listen to me’. Emphasise that it is OK to say ‘no’ to an adult and that we should always get permission before touching someone or taking something, even if it is a person we know. 

Hairdressing Home Corner: provide a range of tools used for different hair types so that children can experiment. Spray bottles, hair wraps, combs, accessories, hats, scarfs. 

SHANARRI Indicators(s)

I am included.

I am respected.

I am safe.

Article 39: I have the right to support and  care.

Article 19: I have the right to be protected. 

Article 9: I have the right to privacy.

UNCRC Article(s)

Home/Community Links and Opportunities for Parent/Carer Participation 

  • Involve parents and carers in the development/revision of safeguarding and anti-racist policies in order to develop and share procedures collaboratively. 

  • Ensure anti-racist policies and procedures and members of staff with whom they can discuss concerns are shared with new parents and carers. Encourage parents, carers and children to be confident about addressing race and experiences of racism, including structural racism within the setting, as well as when they observe and witness racism and/or associated violence. Check in regularly with parents and carers to support them in raising issues and provide opportunities that will make it more possible for parents and carers to bring issues forward.

This principle does not rely on children bringing up the topic of racism or assume it is not an issue if it has not been brought up. Practitioners should actively engage in conversations which challenge racism and support children with ways to respond if they experience or see racism in the setting or wider community. Through professional learning, practitioners should be supported to identify when a racist incident is taking place and understand the procedure for dealing with this. Practitioners can see themselves as ‘first responders’: how they react and deal with racism when it first appears in a situation has a long term effect on how children experience and handle race themselves.

Key Things to Note

Unpacking
the principle

Do spaces … 

  • make it clear to parents, carers and  children who they can talk to if they  experience racism or witness a racist  incident, and are encouraged to do this?  

  • create safe(r) spaces and small group time where children can ask for help  confidently? 

  • enable children to express themselves in  the way that is most natural to them to  raise concerns and support them to explore other ways of expressing themselves? 

Do interactions … 

  • enable children to share their lived  experiences, for these to be listened to and taken seriously? 

  • show empathy and acknowledge the  seriousness of what children share and how it has affected them?  

  • co-create clear procedures for what to do if friends are being treated unfairly or if we feel we have been treated unfairly?

this principle makes clear that regardless of a person’s identity, they have the right to not experience violence and abuse. It is about ensuring children feel safe and confident to talk about their lived experiences and know that they will be listened to, taken seriously and that incidents will be  addressed.

This will empower children and help them to challenge racism and discrimination if they see or experience it. 

Spaces
and Experiences 

SHANARRI
Indicator(s)

Questions
and Considerations

Spaces 

Safe and comfortable spaces should always be available for children to  share their experiences or concerns with a trusted adult and where children can feel safe and understand that they will be listened to and taken seriously. Issues or disputes that arise amongst children can form the topics of small group discussions where children hear from each other how they can peacefully resolve the dispute. Agreeing with children on cues which show when they might need to discuss something can support children in raising something with a practitioner.  

Experiences 

Read: My Hair, Hannah Lee 
Discuss: where do  you go to get your hair cut? Which hair styles do you know? Which styles do the members of your family like? Which new ones did you learn from the book? Do you like people touching your hair? When is it nice and when is it not?  

Suggested Activity: role play conversations to explore how to respond to negative comments or unwanted touch and how to ask for help in a clear and confident way. For example, ‘That isn’t kind/Stop saying that/I don’t like that/Do not touch my hair or skin without asking me/Listen to me’. Emphasise that it is OK to say ‘no’ to an adult and that we should always get permission before touching someone or taking something, even if it is a person we know. 

Hairdressing Home Corner: provide a range of tools used for different hair types so that children can experiment. Spray bottles, hair wraps, combs, accessories, hats, scarfs. 

I am included.

I am respected.

I am safe

UNCRC Articles(s)

Article 39: I have the right to support and care.

Article 19: I have the right to be protected. 

Article 9: I have the right to privacy.

Home/Community Links and Opportunities for Parent/Carer Participation 

  • Involve parents and carers in the development/revision of safeguarding and anti-racist policies in order to develop and share procedures collaboratively. 

  • Ensure anti-racist policies and procedures and members of staff with whom they can discuss concerns are shared with new parents and carers. Encourage  parents, carers and children to be confident about addressing race and experiences of racism, including structural racism within the setting, as well as when they  observe and witness racism and/or associated violence. Check in regularly with parents and carers to support them in raising issues and provide opportunities that  will make it more possible for parents and carers to bring issues forward.

Key Things to Note

This principle does not rely on children bringing up the topic of racism or assume it is not an issue if it has not been brought up. Practitioners should actively engage  in conversations which challenge racism and support children with ways to respond if they experience or see racism in the setting or wider community. Through  professional learning, practitioners should be supported to identify when a racist incident is taking place and understand the procedure for dealing with this.  Practitioners can see themselves as ‘first responders’: how they react and deal with racism when it first appears in a situation has a long term effect on how children  experience and handle race themselves.