Twinkles offer a welcoming environment where everyone is valued for their individuality. We believe in encouraging children to develop a positive self image early in life and value others.
We aim to provide an environment that celebrates diversity and offers children and adults opportunities irrespective of gender, disability or ethnicity.
Twinkles equal opportunities policy incorporates Article 31 of United Nations Convention of the 'Rights of the Child', that being that every child has "a right to relax, play and join in a wide range of activities".
Objectives
Twinkles endeavours to:
1. Monitor all educational material used in Nursery to ensure that people of different gender, ethnicity and abilities are represented.
2. Make available publicity material about Twinkles and educational issues in large print format or other languages when requested.
3. Monitor the curriculum to ensure that racial groups and gender roles are not stereotyped. A range of festivals will be celebrated through planned topic areas and children through continuous provision such as role-play, will be able to explore a variety of job roles and situations, in order to promote awareness and understanding of others.
4. Offer inclusive provision for all children and adults. Nursery children will have all
5. equal access to all the play/learning experiences available.
6. Encourage parents/carers with particular skill or experience to share their knowledge with the nursery in order to enhance the curriculum.
7. Regularly organise fund raising activities/events, in order to raise awareness of those less fortunate and introduce a positive attitude.
8. Ensure that individuals are recruited, selected and promoted using a scoring system in order to avoid bias.
9. Offer equal opportunity for training and support for all members of staff according to their training needs analysis. Nursery staff, who have attended courses, are asked to feedback newly gained knowledge to others.
10. Encourage staff to challenge any language, behaviour or attitude that could be perceived as discriminatory.
11. Discourage discriminatory behaviour and respond either through information, training or disciplinary procedure as deemed appropriate by the management team.
12. Make available monies for specific resources.
13. Consult with parents and children when reviewing practice in order to avoid discrimination.
These objectives are in accordance with the Statutory Equality Commissions in Great Britain, those being :
- The Commission for Racial Equality
- The Disability Rights Commission
- The Equal Opportunities Commission
'An Equal Start (Promoting Equal Opportunities in the Early Years)' 2002
Disability Rights Commission
Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland