With the Government consultation on reform of the early years workforce, there has been much debate about whether professionals should become a 'new teacher' or a 'pedagogue'. But little attention has been paid to how to establish a workforce that is more reflective of our society.
Why do so few men across all ethnic backgrounds choose a career in the early years, and why are men and women from black and other minority ethnic backgrounds under-represented at senior level and in decision-making bodies?
Choice for parents, the best start for children: a ten year strategy for childcare (DfES, 2004) mentions briefly the goal of creating a diversified workforce in the context of building a world-class profession and notes the need for an increase of both men and people from other minority ethnic groups. Any further discussion is left to the Children's Workforce Strategy, but even it offers little in terms of suggestions or solutions to the problem.
Many in the sector blame the low pay and status for men's lack of interest in working in early years childcare and education. But few have identified specific barriers that prevent members of minority ethnic communities joining the sector.
Common core
The common core of skills and knowledge for everyone working with children proposed by the DfES is based on the Every Child Matters consultation and does address the need for the workforce to understand cultural differences.
Yet while the common core expects practitioners to have a knowledge of legislation on various areas important to working with children and families, it fails to highlight the need for practitioners to understand the implications of the amended Race Relations Act (1976). This legislation puts a duty on all statutory services to monitor the impact of their policies on different racial groups of children, though it is clearly good practice for all settings to do this, maintained or not (Road, 2004).
The legislation is also absent from the Common Core Annex of relevant legislation. This omission indicates either little concern about race relations or no real understanding or recognition by the DfES of the disadvantages and discrimination facing many minority ethnic groups today.
When considering the problem of under-representation of minority ethnic groups in the workforce, the discussion often focuses on how to meet equality policy objectives for recruiting staff from these groups.
However, it is essential not to lose sight of the importance of diversity and the benefits that minority ethnic early years professionals bring both to the sector and to the children and families who use early years services.
The sector must now work to seek to identify, understand and break down the barriers to participation and belonging to the early years workforce, and ensure that they are monitored regularly (Early Childhood Forum, 2003).
Importance to children
So, why is it important to children that the workforce reflects a range of different people?
Evidence from Britain, the United States, Australia and New Zealand has shown that children as young as two or three years old notice racial differences (Lane, 1999). Research also indicates that a failure to recognise children's 'blackness' can damage some black children's views of themselves, and that children's racial identity is crucial for their successful development (Gay, 1985; Maxime, 1991). These findings highlight the need for staff who are confident to work with children from the youngest age on equality issues.
Racism unchallenged
We know that one of the major barriers to the successful recruitment and retention of ethnic minority staff is racism, be it direct, indirect, individual or institutional.
How might institutional racism operate in the early years sector? It can often be found in those thoughtless and unwitting actions, or lack of actions, that mean that discrimination is not looked for or recognised because there is no conscious intention to discriminate against anyone.
Practices and procedures are often allowed to carry on regardless of the shifting ethnic composition of our society, rather than changing to take account of it. Staff from black and other minority ethnic backgrounds are less likely to be in senior positions, which means that without specific action, their skills, views and experience are less likely to be considered in strategic bodies.
At a frontline level, one of the pitfalls of organisational work on equality and diversity is the demotivating effect on staff from minority ethnic backgrounds who are seen as 'cultural advisors'. While many staff from black and other minority ethnic backgrounds may understand specific cultural issues, their skills, strengths and interests lie in other areas as well.
Leadership
While the Government has failed to grasp the challenge of diversifying the workforce firmly enough, it can be applauded for its recognition of the importance of leadership.
In the area of anti-discriminatory practice, effective leadership is crucial in giving staff the skills to discuss issues in a 'safe'
environment and challenge discrimination when they see it.
Leaders themselves, of course, need to be knowledgeable and committed to anti-discriminatory practice. Creating an ethos where staff work in a team from various ethnic origins - and everyone has an ethnic origin - can help abolish stereotypes and build relationships that allow staff to question and explore issues without fear of getting it 'wrong'.
The Runnymede Trust's report The Space Between (2005) presents findings on the importance of a diverse representation of people within the higher levels of organisations that demonstrate transformational leadership, showing the ability to be inspirational and motivational and acting as a role model. The findings also revealed that a greater understanding of equality and diversity was seen as key to implementing 'race' equality processes.
Training
Effective, sector-specific training can make a difference to practice, but the complexity and shifting forms of racism mean that the challenge cannot be solely met through a day or two of training (Bhavnani, 2001).
Continuous access to information and ongoing, high-quality training is needed to enable practitioners to identify and challenge racism within their organisations and externally.
Ensuring equality in a setting is not the responsibility of one person but of the whole team. Time should be set aside to prepare how to deal with any situations of prejudice and discriminatory behaviour.
It is essential that staff work closely with parents so they can be informed about a child's background, values and beliefs, home language and diet, for example. And where staff and parents share ideas about equality, everyone is helped to own them in practice.
Progress so far
The Government has acknowledged the value of relevant, accessible early years services in its strategy to increase race equality and community cohesion ('Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society'). They have recognised that smaller proportions of families from some black and South Asian families use childcare. A commitment to increasing the recruitment of professionals from black and other minority ethnic backgrounds is part of that strategy.
Meanwhile, the National Childminding Association is undertaking research to examine why there are no childminders from black or other minority ethnic groups in Bath, despite the significant proportion of families from these communities in the area.
The facts of racism in the early years are already known. What is now needed is a determination to implement anti-racist practices and procedures across the sector.
It is the responsibility of us all to promote 'race' equality, but we also must be active in breaking down the barriers that prevent people from minority ethnic groups having their own voice in the way services are planned and delivered.
Ann-Marie McAuliffe, senior development officer in the Early Childhood Unit, and Patrice Lawrence, co-ordinator for black and other minority ethnic children and young people, work at the National Children's Bureau.
Jane Lane is an advocate worker for racial equality in the early years The Early Childhood Unit is running five conferences over the next few months across the country entitled 'Participation and Belonging'. At these conferences, supported by the Sure Start Extended Schools and Families Group, practitioners can discuss issues of equality including race, gender and disability. Contact conferences @ncb.org.uk
References
* Road, N (2004) Are equalities an issue? Finding out what children think.
National Children's Bureau (NCB)
* Early Childhood Forum: definition of inclusion.
www.earlychildhood.org.uk/topic/index.asp?id=5.F"ZapfDingbatsTwo"P8C15
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* Bhavani, R Rethinking Interventions in Racism. Trentham Books, 2001
* Gay, G (1985), Implications of selected models of ethnic identity development for educators, Journal of Negro Children, vol 54, no1, cited in Lane, J (1999) Lane, J (forthcoming revision 2005) Action for racial equality in the early years. NCB
* Maxime, J (1991) Towards a transcultural approach to working with under-sevens. Conferences report for the Early Years Trainers Anti Racist Network and the National Children's Bureau, EYTARN Wallasey. Cited in Lane, J (1999) Action for racial equality in the early years. The National Early Years Network
* Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society: The Government's strategy to increase race equality and community cohesion. Home Office, 2005
* Sanglin-Grant, S (2005) The Space Between. Runnymede Trust's report, April 2005, London
