Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Working with Children

Equality

Equality is ensuring individuals or groups of individuals are not treated differently or less favourably based on their specific protected characteristic including area of race, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. Promoting equality should remove discrimination in all the aforementioned areas. Bullying, harassment or victimization are also considered as equality and diversity issues.

Diversity

Diversity aims to recognise, respect and value people’s differences to contribute and realise their full potential by promoting an inclusive culture for all staff and children.

At school the child develops it can help prepare the child for citizenship in a multi-cultural democracy. They can develop an understanding of the perspectives of children from different backgrounds and learn to function in a multi-cultural. As more schools become more diverse, demands increase to find the most effective ways to help children succeed academically as well as learn academically and learn to e.g. along with each other. Schools must take a proactive approach to acknowledging diversity.

Inclusion

Inclusive practice is not only about the way in schools provide of children with special educational needs (SEN) and disability.

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Inclusive practice is defined as; The process of identifying understanding and breaking barriers to participation and belonging ensuring every feel valued. Having a sense of belonging, recognising, accepting and celebrating of differences and similarities. Understanding the medical and social model of disability.

Inclusive policies should take account of needs of all pupils in the school. Inclusive practice is based on the social model disability. The social model of disability is based on the assumption that a way the school operates, what barriers are present and how different attitudes can prevent individuals from participating in society.

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Legislation requires schools to make reasonable e adjustments to remove barriers so children and young people can take part in educational activities within the school alongside the other pupils. The medical model of disability is based on the assumption that children must adapt to the environment this can help promote an atmosphere of dependence and providing information i.e. worksheets in a larger print, audio tapes, alternative forms of communication.

Inclusion is ensuring that all children and young people no matter their background/situation can participate fully in all aspects of school life and providing the same opportunities and access for a high quality of education. It is important that you help children with additional needs as they often require extra support from a teaching assistant or school support worker. Inclusion for children is not only about providing the same opportunities and access for a high quality of education. It is important that you help children with additional needs as they often require extra support from a teaching assistant or school support worker. Inclusion for children is not only about providing additional support, it can also relate to adjustments being made to the school environment as well i.e. providing lifts, ramps, furniture right height for children with physical disabilities.

A list of the current legislation and codes of practice relating to equality, diversity and inclusion in a school environment, with a summary of the main points of each and an explanation of how the legislation and codes of practice apply to your personal work role. The information can take any format however, where resources already exist candidates are free to use them.

  • Disability Discrimination Act 2005
  • Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001
  • Race Relations Act 2000
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Children Act 2004
  • Education Act 2002
  • Equality Act 2010

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 is a new law which protects people from discrimination. It replaces all precious separate equality laws including the Disability act, race relations act and many others. The act describes these characteristics age, disabilities, gender assignment, marriage, and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
Equality is ensuring individuals or groups of individuals are not treated differently or less favourably based on their specific protected characteristic including areas of race, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. Promoting equality should remove discrimination in all the area. Bullying, harassment or victimization are also considered as equality and diversity issues.

Childrens Act 2004 (Every child matters)

Every child matters policy applied to the well-being of children and young people from birth up until they reached the age of 19. It was based on the idea that every child, of their individual circumstances or background, should have plenty of support throughout their life. There were five keys to the policy which the government believed children should have support with these were:

• To be healthy
• To stay safe
• To enjoy and achieve
• To make a positive contribution
• To achieve economic well-being

Every Child Matters Framework

The Human Rights Act 1998

The Human Rights Act 1998 was created to protect the right individuals in the UK but balanced against the right of others. In relation to schools, this act, protects the right of an individual to Education, the right to respect, for a private and family life. Furthermore, for the protection of others in schools. The Act permits the restraint of a child, provided in doing so it protects others or prevents an injury or a crime being committed.

The candidate is required to research and identify the policies on equality, diversity and inclusion for a school with which they are familiar and briefly summarise the main points.

Equality and Diversity Policy

At Linthorpe Community Primary School (LCPS) the whole school ethos is based on valuing and respecting every individual. They aim to provide a safe, which secure and happy environment which is free from bullying, harassment and prejudice to enable everyone to reach their full potential. Linthorpe Community Primary School (LCPS) are committed to providing social inclusion and equality of opportunity for all.
Equal opportunities are above, all about equality access. Linthorpe Community Primary School (LCPS) aims to create a school community characterised by fairness and justice. Equal opportunities are also about celebrating diversity within the school and the wider community thereby ensuring that individuals and groups can develop in the ways they choose. Most commonly Equal opportunities have something to do with everyone having the same chance to develop themselves to their full potential. Factors such as age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, socio-economic background and sexual orientation should not dictate an individual’s opportunities. Equal opportunities are about maximising the potential of all the members of our school community irrespective of their socio-economic background. Equality of opportunity allows the school to make life choices and to develop talents thereby ensuring no one is disadvantaged or discriminated against. Equal opportunities are entrenched in everything they do and should be addressed and embraced by everyone.

Inclusion

In addition, the candidate should evaluate the various reading materials, posters and other resources available in the school’s library and classrooms and write brief answers to the following questions:

  • Do the school’s policies work in practice?
  • Do the materials reflect a range of culture, positive role models and disabilities?

The candidate is required to explain briefly why a school with a culturally rich background can benefit all children. In addition, the candidate should explain how the school with which they are familiar with achieves this and how it could improve. Linthorpe Community Primary School (LCPS) is such a diverse society with different religions, and cultures which is important that they value and promote cultural diversity, especially when working with children. It is important that the school teach children that it doesn’t matter where you come from, what beliefs/views you have what language you speak or what you look like everyone is equal, everyone is different and everyone is welcome and deserves the same opportunities as anyone else by doing this Linthorpe Community Primary School (LCPS) encourages children to value everyone which in turn will help them have an open mind and be able to tolerate differences more easily. It is also important to value and promote cultural diversity because it can help to prevent stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination and reduce the risks of tokenism.

It is important that when the school values and promotes cultural diversity they understand and take account of the backgrounds and cultures of the children in their school as it will help them build effective relationships and help them provide more effective support during their learning, Also by doing this Linthorpe Community Primary School (LCPS) can help children feel like they are accepted if they penalise a child because they come from a different background this can make them feel unwanted and this will also affect the way the other children in the school learn as they will pick up on the way we behave and they may think that it is okay for them to behave this way. It is important that the school gets across that just because ac hid is from a different culture or can’t speak our local language doesn’t mean they don’t belong they will eventually pick up the language and they have the same rights as any other child i.e. they all have a right to play and learn together.

Valuing and promoting cultural diversity can help with the education that the school provide to the children and young people we work with as they can learn about different cultures, habits and the things unique to a specific culture. It also helps to promote education through books but also by facing different culture issues in the classroom and how to overcome them. At Linthorpe Community Primary School (LCPS) a parent originally from Libya volunteered to come into school and described a variety of middle eastern foods to look and taste. The parent discussed about the country in which they lived, the cultural side of it and the different types of foods which are provided to the children and the teachers.

This helps the children to explore variety of foods which are available in Libya, and what they taste like as we don’t necessarily consume this food in this country. Whilst learning about another country they can also compare the way people live compared to the way they are living in the UK.
At Linthorpe Community Primary School (LCPS) topics are prepared on stories as part of the national curriculum/Religious education which are set in other countries like India, Pakistan, Africa and China for example in Year 2 they view books related to India i.e. what their beliefs are, where they live, what foods they eat, the clothes they wear and celebrations etc. This is a chance for children to experience other cultures.

Children are also taught about the Muslim faith and their celebrations, which include Ramadan and Eid. It comprises of what Eid and Ramadan are i.e. when they are held and what it entails. They are also taught about the Christian faith. The Christmas celebration and Easter. A Bollywood night is also held in the evening during the Summer term. This is a yearly event for both the parents and the child to come and view the cultural event. The event compromises of dressing up in Asian clothes, to explore the different types of Asian food, clothes and jewellery stalls help raise funds.

By promoting and valuing cultural diversity it helps everyone to celebrate each other’s differences. By providing and enriching curriculum for the children in the school and help to reduce prejudices and discriminate which can make a happy environment for everyone to play, learn and work in and allows everyone to get along well with each other. Lastly, the school does not require improvement at the present. Therefore, the school is striving hard to build a stronger community and they will continue to work hard throughout the year.

Updated: May 21, 2021
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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Working with Children. (2020, Sep 13). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-in-working-with-children-essay

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Working with Children essay
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