Author: EDI Spotlight
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Say My Name Right
The link between names, identity, and belonging When I was younger, I spoke to my mum about why she and my dad gave me my name. She told me: “We wanted something easy to say and spell… so you wouldn’t spend your life explaining, and correcting people.” There were other reasons, of course — like…
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Why Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Matters When Thinking About Safeguarding
In Early Years settings, safeguarding and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are often treated as separate topics—but in reality, they are connected. Often, we only make the connection after something has gone badly wrong—and even then, our sector isn’t usually central to the issue. As a result, Early Years professionals can feel further removed from…
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Rethinking Cultural Dress Role Play in Early Years
Rethinking Cultural Dress Role Play in Early Years In early years settings, efforts to celebrate diversity often include using clothing from different cultures in role-play areas. The intention is usually positive—encouraging children’s curiosity and appreciation of cultures beyond their own or representing those in the cohort and the wider world. However, when you dig deeper,…
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Unconscious Racial Bias: ‘That Feeling’
I first encountered the term unconscious bias a few years ago when it became widely discussed in the media amid heightened conversations about race. I remember the relief I felt upon discovering a name and an explanation for that feeling I had experienced personally and professionally so many times over so many years. The subtle…
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Why Racially Inclusive Practices Matter for Toddlers
Anyone who has the pleasure of working with toddlers will know that big feelings, emerging language, potty training, and navigating the tricky world of sharing (or not sharing!) are dominating factors of their world. Amid all these milestones It could be easily missed that they are also forming ideas about race and perceptions of identity…
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Tolerance vs Acceptance: Why the Distinction Matters
Tolerance vs. Acceptance: Why the Distinction Matters A key distinction to explore when reflecting on inclusive practice is the difference between tolerance and acceptance. These are concepts that may seem similar but have profoundly different impacts on our attitudes toward children and families, and the relationships we build with them. What is Tolerance? Tolerance is…
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Race and Representation in the Baby Room
When we think about racially inclusive practices, babies can often be overlooked. Their perceived innocence and distance from societal complexities can lead us to believe that these conversations around can wait until they’re older. However, this perspective is misinformed and misses the profound impact that those early experiences have on shaping children’s understanding of the…
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Please Don’t Touch My Hair!
As a black woman who has spent most of my career as the minority in the room, there has been many occasions where my hair has been the topic of conversation and attracted far more attention than I as an introvert would like! I had to build myself up to walking into work with a…
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