Where do we begin with conversations with children about race, racism and empowerment?
It’s a topic we cannot shy away from anymore in society and starting from a young age is important to help educate everyone about this issue. So how can early years settings - and indeed every school - get this right?
There’s a lot to think about but there are some key issues that need to be addressed so that we, as educators, can address this issue with confidence from the start of a child’s educational journey. Here are some key ways to do just that.
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1. Be aware of your own values
Consider your school’s values, mission and vision, organisational behaviour and culture: how do you acknowledge race and racism within your school and society?
Do you have a commitment to make sure that no form of discrimination is tolerated and that you support those within your school community who have been on the receiving end of racism?
We must be honest and acknowledge our past and current practice that could be considered discriminatory.
We need to be aware of our own behaviours and attitudes to know what we are sharing and discussing with children regarding race and racism and how we can equip them should they be on the receiving end of racism.
2. Train all staff
Anti-racism requires a whole-school commitment, which includes all staff, irrespective of their role, as well as governors/trustees and parents.
In your recruitment, induction and ongoing personal and professional development, do you include elements of race and racism and explain what it means to be anti-racist in practice as an establishment? In terms of your systems, policies and strategy, is what is laid out in print mirrored in practice?
If required, use outside experts to help give staff training on this, such as MA Education Consultancy CIC or The Black Nursery Manager to help ensure you are starting from a position of expertise and authority.
3. Audit your learning environment
Take a critical look at your learning environment and scrutinise the materials you are giving to your pupils or using in lessons.
Ask questions such as: could they be considered offensive? Do they show positive images of all sections of society? Are they reinforcing outdated views or stereotypes?
If you’re not sure then cross-reference with your policies for guidance and decide if anything is no longer needed in your learning environment and what you could add to make your environment more inclusive in terms of race, steering clear of tokenism.
4. Be aware of context
Even children in early years settings may have experienced verbal and physical racism.
When speaking about race, be aware this could be a trigger - and ensure you can provide adequate support and guidance in line with your policies and procedures. This is where staff training becomes crucial.
It may be tempting to hear this and question why we would then raise this in school if it risks upsetting children.
But this underlines exactly why we must not shy away from having these important discussions, as they can have a long-term impact on children’s mental health and wellbeing.
5. Bring up the issue in the right way
The next step is to start a discussion about racism and how people are treated differently because of their race.
Young learners are often far more open to this than you may imagine, but it is still important to broach it sensitively, as noted above.
You could use examples of people who experience racism, which could be name-calling or indeed physical violence, and explore unkind behaviour to support children with their thinking about racism. Explain what children might do if they experience racism or if they witness racism.
Invite children to draw and write about themselves - this can help draw out ideas of race and racism and why we should celebrate and what makes us all unique.
6. Find the right resources
Doing all of the above is not something you have to tackle alone. There are lots of resources that exist that schools can use to help with this - from online guides such as the Tiney guide to becoming an inclusive, anti-racist early educator, and the BAMEedNetwork.
I wrote My Skin, Your Skin specifically because I felt there was a need to offer something to educators - and parents - to help them explain what racism is, why it is wrong, and what children can do if they see it or experience it.
With my 30 years-plus in working in education and specifically in early years, race and racism was hardly discussed with children, and was more tokenistic.
However, I am noticing in the last 20 months or so, since the death of George Floyd, this is now changing, with some teaching staff being more willing to research this area and share their findings with children and parents/carers.
There is still a long way to go in the fight against racism, but it is important we empower children and support them to feel positive about themselves, focusing on their strengths and what they can do themselves.
We will then give the next generation of children the opportunity to build a society that is fair, equal and inclusive for all.
Laura Henry-Allain MBE has worked within early years education for nearly 35 years including as a nursery manager, Ofsted inspector, teacher and curriculum manager.
She is also the author of the JoJo and Gran Gran series and has published a new book, My Skin, Your Skin, which is out now, published by Ladybird Books. She tweets @LauraHAllain
