As all good early years practitioners know, every action, decision, and reaction we make is watched carefully by the young people in our care. What we do and say shapes their development, learning and ultimately, their view of the world. We are their role models, along with their parents/carers, other immediate family and their local communities. However, due to the length of time they spend in the setting, our behaviour and actions are some of the most powerful influences in their young lives.
All educational settings should strive to create inclusive and diverse environments for children to grow up in. However, hidden prejudices, such as unconscious bias, can subtly influence our own attitudes and behaviours. What we consider ‘normal’ attitudes and behaviours could, in fact, be based on our own long-held values and beliefs, picked up over decades, dating back to our own parents’ attitudes and views of the world. We are all products of the world we grew up in, after all. Recognising and addressing these biases is crucial to ensuring we operate in a fair and inclusive way.
Recognising Prejudice
Unconscious bias refers to the automatic judgments and stereotypes we have that influence our actions and behaviours without us being consciously aware of them. In early years settings, these prejudices can manifest in various ways, such as:
- Expecting boys to be more active or better at sports than girls
- Thinking girls will automatically be nurturing
- Assuming children from certain backgrounds may struggle more or excel in specific areas
- Promoting one type of job role for girls and different ones for boys
- Encouraging or discouraging certain behaviours based on our own assumptions about a particular culture
Recognising these biases is not easy – they are, by definition, unconscious! However, it is important that they are recognised to promote best practice in your settings. This requires self-reflection and an openness to change perspective. No hiding behind the attitude of, “I can see that unconscious bias applies to others, but I don’t have any and it doesn’t apply to me.” That is your own unconscious bias ousted!
The Impact Prejudices Has On Young Children
As we’ve discussed, children learn by following what they see, hear and experience. Unconscious biases in early years education can influence how children see themselves and their potential. For example:
- Self-esteem and confidence: If a child consistently receives different treatment based on their gender, race, or ability, it may shape their self-image and their belief about what they can/can’t do or what is appropriate for them to try
- Educational expectations: Practitioners with unconscious biases might offer more encouragement to some children while underestimating others. This can apply particularly to children with SEND
- Social interactions: The way people respond to diverse family backgrounds can affect how children interact with people from different cultures, seeing them as people to befriend, be wary of, or even fear
To counteract these effects, early years professionals must identify and address their own unconscious biases, and adopt inclusive teaching strategies so all children receive equal opportunities and support.
Practical Strategies To Overcome Prejudice
There are practical steps that we can adopt to create an inclusive and unbiased learning environment. Here are some of the main ones.
Increasing Staff Self-Awareness And Training On Hidden Prejudice
Offer staff training on unconscious bias and regularly reflect on your interactions with children and their families. Is there a pattern in how you address different people? There are a number of implicit bias tests that practitioners can take, such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT), developed by Harvard University. This test measures the strength of associations between concepts (e.g., black people, gay people) and evaluations (e.g., good, bad) or stereotypes (e.g., athletic, clumsy). Other ways to identify bias include writing reflection journals, and having peer discussions to uncover and challenge any hidden prejudices.
Diversify Learning Materials
Audit the books, toys, and resources you have in your setting. Do they reflect a wide range of cultures, abilities, and family structures? If not, buy ones that reflect more diversity. You can find lots of lists on the internet, such as here. Ensure you are not subconsciously encouraging children to play with a particular type of toy (e.g. girls and kitchens, boys and tools) and make all your areas and toys accessible to all children.
Use Inclusive Language To Help Overcome Prejudices
Avoid gendered expectations in language that children pick up on (e.g., calling girls “caring” and boys “strong”). Saying things like, “You throw like a girl” or “Be a big, strong boy” implants these stereotypes in children’s thoughts. Similarly, be mindful of questions you ask children, such as “Where are you really from?” or “You speak really good English considering…” which can imply that you think children don’t really belong.
Challenge Stereotypes And Prejudice In Play
Encourage children to explore roles freely without casting doubt on the roles they choose. Sometimes we do this by saying things like, “Bobby, you could be the astronaut and Alice could be your assistant.” Instead, ask the children what role they would like to play and support their choices. Offer a variety of activities that allow all children to participate in all areas.
Addressing Prejudice In Recruitment Practices
Recruitment plays a critical role in shaping an inclusive early years environment. Hidden prejudices can influence your hiring decisions, which may unintentionally lead to a lack of diversity in your staff teams. Think about:
- Unbiased job descriptions – avoid gendered or culturally specific language that might deter diverse applicants. Consider translations to encourage diverse applicants
- Fair selection processes – consider making selections anonymously, having a set procedure for interviews, and using a diverse panel of people to make decisions
- Diverse representations – ensure your recruitment images/language reflect staff from different backgrounds
- Focus on skills – think about any personal biases you may have when evaluating candidates and make decisions based on their skills, experience, and values, rather than what you perceive they can do
Creating A Setting-Wide Inclusive Culture
Unconscious bias can pervade the ethos and atmosphere of your setting. By its very nature, it goes unnoticed and unchallenged. However, by bringing these discussions into the open, you have a better chance of making changes which will benefit your setting and the families you serve. You can do this by:
- Encouraging open conversations, allowing staff to feel comfortable discussing bias and reflecting on the setting’s inclusive practices
- Actively involving parents/carers from diverse backgrounds in your decision-making and policies
- Regularly reviewing your policies and procedures to ensure they promote the principles of EDI and prevent discriminatory practices
- Developing teaching approaches that actively challenge stereotypes and celebrate diversity
