We are a dedicated group of educational practitioners, consultants, community activists and researchers committed to the early years sector and the lives of young children and their families. We have come together now to reaffirm our commitment to the principles of the Black Voices Network which, although disbanded a few years ago, strongly retains its members' interests and commitment to race awareness and support to challenge inequalities, particularly at this time.
The Black Voices Network was a group of people, mostly involved in the early years of children's lives, who were committed to listening to the voices of black 
people and their experiences in education by presenting a welcoming safe place for discussion. We have spent many decades trying to get the damaging effects of the reality of racism recognised and removed from every aspect of early years practices, procedures, policies, organisation, support groups, inspection and training.
We are all part of the world in which children grow up and are influenced. We care for children and work to ensure the best for their future. The Black Voices Network believes that we, everyone in the early years field in Britain, must now take the present long history of racial disadvantage, discrimination and prejudice extremely seriously and take action to get rid of its injustices. While most injustices continue to be deeply entrenched and long established they are largely unnoticed.
We are deeply aware of how our various personal histories and experiences influence how we view such injustices. We hope that our approach in this article is accepted in the spirit of its intention and to present an opportunity to jointly and equally struggle together for action and change.
We know that for many this is not a new issue but one that now needs to encompass both decades of past and present experiences. This process, whilst presenting open and fluid spaces, may in fact highlight some uncomfortable, even painful inequalities, but the focus is to work towards a specific development in the early years sector strategy for race equality which is intended to be implemented as a priority.
Recently we have been devastated to witness the murder of George Floyd. We understand both the worldwide protests against the brutal cruelty of the United States police and the antiracist protests in Britain under Black Lives Matter. Resulting from these actions Britain is, at last, a country where racism is beginning to be more widely and powerfully acknowledged.
Nevertheless it must never be forgotten that as well as all the hurt imposed on numerous black people now and in the past, many alive today have been subjected, and still are being subjected, to particular forms of discrimination that damagingly affect their lives – witness the unlawful acts imposed on those of the Windrush generation and the continuing immigration and other stressful insecurities imposed on so many black people.
Recently, however, the fact that black people are dying disproportionately from the Covid-19 pandemic has become widely recognised. This has brought the serious effects of racism to many people's notice. Inevitably the racism that exists now affects us all, whatever part of the early years field we are involved in and whether we have previously been aware of it or not.
Children are not born prejudiced. We all know that it is during the early years of a child's life when attitudes are learnt and are prone to influences regarding those who are different from them. As a result, over the years a lot of work has been done to suggest how positive attitudes to such differences can be encouraged and how negative attitudes already learnt can be discouraged.
But the almost invisible and unnoticed consequences of racism are hugely damaging for those who experience them and for our society generally. They cover most aspects of people's lives. In order to begin the process of getting rid of these consequences, it is now our responsibility in the early years sector, together, to identify, change or remove them as a priority.
It means having really open and honest conversations with one another about race and racism, on how they are manifested and making sure that the focus stays there. It means building up confidence to say things that might be difficult to say and to hear, realising that saying challenging things may perhaps make people feel uncomfortable. But getting things out in the open clarifies the situation and helps define what needs to be considered.
From these conversations, the sector and its many groups, boards, forums and committees can begin to formulate the principles of a strategy for racial equality which forms the basis of our work. Getting all this right is crucial, but it is also important to take institutional and personal action as quickly as possible – the balance is critical.
It is a task the early years sector is well placed to undertake given its long history of struggle, caring for others and making things work no matter how difficult the circumstances. It is a task the world has brought to everyone's notice. It can no longer be avoided.
Thoughts and suggested ways forward
Each of us, within the early years sector, has a role to consider how and in what way racism impacts on our work alongside other practitioners and colleagues. This is relevant whether or not we work directly in globally diverse groups. We are responsible for considering and reflecting on how we can contribute to making the early years sector free of the reality of racism. Right now.
We are responsible for everyone who works in the sector as well as the lives of young children. We need to examine the way we educate and care for them, considering how effective our interactions are in their development and whether they grow up feeling a sense of belonging. This includes children feeling equal in a society that is not at ease with itself. A society at ease with itself means that its members treat one another equally, respectfully and with empathy whilst importantly recognising and respecting 'differences'.
Although we recognise that our society is multicultural, multilingual, multifaith and multiracial, it is a society where racial prejudice and racial discrimination are widespread. It is a society where institutional, systemic or structural racism are endemic and deeply embedded. Whether we are aware of this or not, this is a reality which we must all understand and acknowledge regardless of the inevitable discomfort.
In the past the early years sector has been slow to take up this challenge. It has mostly ignored these sensitive issues, pretended they are not happening or seen them as someone else's task to address. But now, for those of us working with young children, developing policies and procedures and taking positions in organisations implementing systems for young children, we have the choice to take these issues in our stride and embark on actions to address them. We need to plan a strategy to play its part in getting rid of racism. These issues within the sector are serious and insidious.
There are also a lot of other things we do to comply with our equal opportunities policies. These are important, but a strategy to get rid of racism is more than this. It includes the way everyone is treated, their equal access to the opportunities that others have and their equal participation in all aspects of our society - their feeling of belonging to our society. And, crucially, it is giving them a voice to share their experiences.
The principles of antiracist practice in the early years have, for many years, been widely discussed in many books, articles, films, training materials and antiracist resources - resources reflecting children's lives are now readily available. They play a vital part in early years practice with children and the practitioners who work with them.
It is important not to be daunted or overwhelmed by the task of developing a race equality strategy but, at the same time recognising that justice demands it is urgent and long overdue. The task includes knowledge of the relevance of the 2010 Equality Act and addressing all the well-documented discriminatory and disadvantaging factors that have accumulated over time - including books, research, articles and films. And becoming familiar with what seminal work has been written about race equality and young children. It also includes the more recent reality of how Covid-19 disproportionately affects black groups, some more than others, and thrives on pre-existing inequalities in society.
Immigration status is another factor that also affects black people disproportionately and of which we should all be sensitively aware: and the way that the Home Office's 'hostile environment' and the Windrush scandal affect particular racial groups.
The term Black Lives Matter (BLM) does not mean that the lives of black people matter more than others. But evidence, both historically and in the present, shows that discrimination and disadvantage are disproportionately and significantly experienced by black groups. It is because of this that Black Lives Matter is now highlighted and attention is drawn to this disparity so that action is at last taken to rectify this shocking situation. Although it would seem difficult to right these historical wrongs, action can and must now be taken to ensure that racial equality is implemented in all parts of our society.
What we can do!
Having open and honest conversations may affect us personally in different ways. We need to open these conversations both to people with whom we work and also to those with whom we are less familiar, people who work in different areas of speciality, including people from different racial backgrounds and social classes. Where possible we need to talk with those who we seldom meet.
We need to provide space and to listen carefully to what each of us has to say and to reflect on ideas and opinions that may be new and unfamiliar. We need to give time and faith to these conversations so that everyone feels free to say what they think and to be heard with respect. Independent mediation or facilitation could be needed to support free and open discussions if there is no automatic agenda - where anything can be said in an agreed safe space, within a 'no blame culture', that might go on to explore critically important issues.
Finally, it is everyone's personal responsibility to challenge racism and its manifestations and to bear in mind that this is all a continuing reflective process, not tokenistic one-off activities.
- Contact – Eyblackvoicesnetwork@gmail.com
Dr Sharon Curtis, educational consultant. CEO of Emosi transcultural therapeutic care, manager Ellesmere Children's Centre, Sheffield
Jane Lane, advocate worker for race equality in the early years
The following co-signed this article:
Rashida Baig, Head of Social Work with Families, London Borough of Croydon, former researcher and trainer in equality and diversity and the early years
Dr Jacqui Cousins, Independent Early Years Consultant: Play and Arts Therapist and Community family support worker
Dr Valerie Daniel, Headteacher and Educational Consultant
Mary Dickins, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies, London Metropolitan University (retired)
Brendah Gaine, founder member of Early Years Trainers Antiracist Network, trainer in mental health (retired)
Dr Dalvir Gill, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Studies, University of Roehampton
Alison Hatt, Senior Lecturer in Education, London Metropolitan University (retired)
Laura Henry-Allain, trainer, author and creator of the characters Jo-Jo and GranGran
Dr Gina Houston, Educational Consultant (retired)
Haki Kapasi, Director Inspire Consultancy Limited, trainer/consultant/researcher playwork and early years
Patrice Lawrence, co-founder Black Voices Network and author
Ann Phoenix, Professor of Psychosocial Studies, UCL Institute of Education
Dorothy Y Selleck, Early Years Consultant and tutor for race equality in the early years (retired)
Meryl Shepherd, Early years Equality Consultant
Dr Anita Soni, Educational Psychologist
Olivia Vincenti, former Early Years educator and manager, chair Coram Family Adoption Panel and strategic organisational development with NSPCC services to black families (retired)
