PROMOTING EQUALITY AND INCLUSION

Equality means treating people equally regardless of their colour, gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality, religion and disability. We should treat people equally yet individually to meet individual needs. To be able to do this, first we should understand that people are not the same. This is referred to as diversity.

It recognises that though people have loads of things in common, they are also different in many ways. Diversity is about valuing and recognising these differences. People are different is many ways such as sexuality, age, gender, ethnicity, religion. By understanding our individual differences we can work in ways that everybody feels valued. Inclusion means respecting and accepting people regardless of their age, sex, gender, ethnicity, disability. Inclusion is about people being involved in all aspects of life[1].

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Equality does not mean that everyone has to be treated the same. People have different needs, situations and ambitions and by inclusion is the process of ensuring equality of opportunity for all children and young people whatever their disabilities or disadvantages[2].

For students to effectively participate in learning any barriers or boundaries must be initially identified and then continuously monitored throughout the course. This promotes a sense of inclusion, equality and diversity at an individual level, which translates to a more beneficial group learning experience during the course. The identity of every learner must be recognised and valued in order to promote inclusion by identifying boundaries and working towards overcoming those boundaries. Financial pressures, reluctance to train, learning difficulties, travel issues, access to resources and cultural or peer pressure can all contribute to learners boundaries; however access to the course should be open to all regardless of race, religion, age, disability, gender or special needs.

During course enrolment; forms, discussions, assessments and individual learning plans ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged or subjected to unfair discrimination on any grounds in relation to accessing appropriate learning methods and resources. Collecting this data also helps identify areas that may require referral to scribes, counselling, crèche facilities, health advice or a basic skills tutor in order to overcome obstacles.

Promoting inclusion by identifying variation in needs ensures that learners have equality throughout their learning experience. Data collection through assessment etc is useful when analysed, acted upon and continuously monitored to ensure consistency in equality. Promoting equality through more effective allocation and targeting of differing resources according to individual need is essential to the learning experience. Planning and implementation of strategies on the holistic health and wellbeing course support the educational inclusion of pupils creating an effective learning environment. This learning environment promotes equality through diverse teaching methods and through setting learning challenges appropriate to different pupils.

Implementing different strategies throughout the course helps learners explore, question and develop an understanding of issues regarding diversity. Recognising differences and celebrating them through varying teaching methods responds to pupils’ diverse learning needs and supports learning activities which challenge prejudice and negative attitudes. Promoting diversity encourages widening participation and gives pupils the opportunity to share their own understanding while learning from their peers experiences.[3]

THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATION

Discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably, usually because of a negative view of someone of their characteristic. This negative view is based on stereotypes that do not have a factual basis[4].

Forms Of Discrimination Are Gender, age, disability, sexuality, race, culture, religion ,poverty, education, personal features and English Is not first language.
Discrimination against a child with special needs makes a child who is very often different to other children; feel even more isolated and different to other children. Very often children with special needs have a very difficult time trying to fit in with other children especially if they are in a mainstream school. All children can be very cruel to another and should be raised to understand that everyone is different[5].

Potential effects of discrimination can make people feel isolated and affect people’s expectations and hopes. It can affect people’s confidence, cause stress, angry, upset, and create tension. This can also affect people physically, unkempt and poor health. They can also self harm or attempt suicide[6].

There are four areas of potential effect of discrimination;
• Physical- , Signs of poor health may manifest. Subject could also initiate physical harm to self, attempting suicide, cutting, headaches, poor appetite, a change in eating habits, sleeplessness, loss/gain of weight, bruises, and ulcers, lack of personal hygiene and lack of energy.

• Emotional - Emotional scars seem to run deep and are not healed easily. Could become to believe that persecutors are right, leading to a loss of self worth. Could lead to physical signs of trauma, low self-esteem, and lack of confidence, feeling unwanted, insecurity, becoming withdrawn, depression/stress, anxiety, sudden change in behaviour, lack of co-operation and learned helplessness.

• Social -. Could lead to more emotional harm, physical harm, intellectual harm, isolation, lack of friends, becoming withdrawn, unrecognized as an individual, feel like a stranger and inability to build relationships
• Intellectual - Due to unsafe behaviours[7].

HOW INCLUSIVE PRACTICE PROMOTES EQUALITY AND SUPPORTS DIVERSITY

Inclusive practice makes sure that things are put in place that people are not feeling isolated. In a health care environment the promotion of equality and diversity is throughout the sector. Healthcare workers promote indiscrimination to everyone i.e. colleagues, patients and employees. Inclusive practice provides everyone the opportunity to all the services, facilities and resources available[8].
Inclusive practice recognizes diversity and appreciates the variety of characteristics that make individuals unique in an atmosphere that promotes and celebrates individual and collective achievement. Examples of these characteristics are: age; cognitive style; culture; disability (mental, learning, physical); economic background; education; ethnicity; gender identity; geographic background; language(s) spoken; marital/partnered status; physical appearance; political affiliation; race; religious beliefs; sexual orientation.
Inclusive practice ensures equality in individuals or groups of individuals and are treated fairly and equally and no less favourably, specific to their needs, including areas of race, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. Inclusion is used by disability rights activists to promote the idea that all people should be freely and openly accommodated without restrictions or limitations of any kind[9].
Inclusion practice in a successful and reliable health care sector requires the promotion of diversity and equality throughout its setup. The fundamental need for this is the ability of the health care workers to promote an unwavering sense of fairness and indiscrimination for all persons involved; patients, employees, and colleagues.

Inclusion provides the opportunity to everyone to avail all available resources, services and facilities. Acceptance is one of the vital traits of any person who is working in the health care sector. Through inclusion, workers realize the need for understanding, comprehending and respecting the needs of all patients, regardless of their diverse nature and background become more effective. They value the beliefs of others and keep a wide ranging and accepting perception aid considerably in the promotion of impartiality and equality. A community which is based on the fair rights of humanity realizes that consciousness, self esteem, culture and physical and mental health are interrelated. Inclusion provides a balance in society and makes the health care sector free of all prejudice and discriminatory practices.

Inclusive practices provide the necessary training to all health care and support workers. A good care worker will be ingrained with the value of accepting, accommodating and respecting the diversity of all patients /clients, thus providing an enriched level of care. All the people in a community are to be provided with a uniform level of facilities and opportunities. This can only be achieved when the care providers are equipped with the right tools; namely equality and inclusion.[10]

How legislation and codes of practice relating to equality, diversity and discrimination apply to own work role.

No law can prevent prejudiced attitudes. However, the law can prohibit discriminatory practices and behaviours that flow from prejudice[11].There are various pieces of legislation in place to promote equality and reduce discrimination. These include:

• The Disability Discrimination Act 2005

• The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001

• The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN, 1989)

• The Human Rights Act 1998

• The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (as amended)

• Employment Equality Regulations 2003[12].

The Equality Act 2010 brings together all previous acts relating to equality and discrimination. The Act applies to all organisations that provide a service to the public. The Act protects all individuals and groups from discrimination. Children and young people settings must be aware of these laws and have in place a policy regarding equality of opportunities and for supporting children with learning difficulties and disabilities .Providers must also have regard to the SEN code of practice. The EYFS also states that providers have a responsibility to ensure positive attitudes to diversity and difference[13].

Within my setting we have an Equality and Diversity policy and a SEN and disability policy these policies must be followed by staff and integrated in to our working practice. The policies bring together all the main points from the various acts and the requirements of the EYFS. The main purpose of my job role as given in the job description is to work under the direction of senior colleagues effectively to support the delivery of care and education to all the pupils and students. It is also to ensure that own actions and behaviour comply with corporate policy and local procedures, statutory regulation and quality standards

The terms of how I carry out my work are explained in the National Occupational Standards (NOS). These apply across the whole of the UK, and explain what I need to know and be able to do in order to work effectively in social care. The National Occupational Standards form the basis for all the qualifications in the social care sector. All these stress the need and importance of all workers doing their jobs as per the codes of practice relating to equality, diversity and discrimination work.

How you could challenge discrimination in a way that promotes change.

The way that I would challenge discrimination in general is to discuss the reasons why certain practises are in place with my supervisor or with other staff. I would attempt to provide evidence e.g. from childcare journals to demonstrate how changes can be made which help prevent discriminatory practise. If I were to observe discrimination then I might organise a team meeting or training session where I can demonstrate examples of discrimination and show staff ways that they can change their work to prevent this. If I was not able to do this I would ask my manager to provide further training on equality and diversity for all members of staff.
If for example I was to realise that within the setting certain activities were arranged for girls and certain ones for boys, I would approach other staff and discuss why they were separating the genders and explain the benefits of children working in mixed groups and not conforming to gender stereotypes. This would promote changes in activities that involve mixed groups and increase staff awareness of their current practises[14].

I could actively challenge discrimination by acting as a role model for positive behaviour and by empowering people to challenge discrimination themselves. Discrimination usually occurs through ignorance. By making a person aware of the facts it will educate them and hopefully change their opinions and actions in the future[15].

As well as practicing anti-discriminatory behaviour myself, I should never ignore or make excuses for others-children, young people and other adults-if I observe discriminatory or bullying behaviour. The policies of the setting should always be followed[16].

It is also important to note that in a work setting, discrimination can be a disciplinary matter and policies and procedures will be in place to deal with this.

what is meant by anti-discriminatory practice and examples of how it is applied in practice with young people and families.

Anti-discriminatory practice basically means working in a way that does not discriminate against anyone. It is dangerous for workforces to assume that all staff automatically operates in an anti-discriminatory way. Many staff may not be aware that they are being discriminatory, so it is therefore essential for employers to recognise the importance of training and mentoring staff to align themselves with your anti-discriminatory policy[32].
Article 2 of the child’s Rights Convention is an overarching principle of the Convention. It prohibits discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status. "States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child's parents, legal guardians, or family members." Although the right to non-discrimination is a well-established human rights principle in international law, less attention has been paid to the particular ways in which children experience discrimination. The CRC was created to recognise children's inherent entitlement to fundamental rights and freedoms. The CRC's principle of non-discrimination is crucial to achieving this given that discrimination is one of the main reasons why children's rights are violated. The CRC does not accept limited resources as a justification for discrimination against any group of children. Although the Convention only mentions certain grounds of discrimination explicitly, it recognises the possibility of other grounds of discrimination from which children are entitled to protection. Furthermore, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has specifically identified a number of other grounds of discrimination in its Concluding Observations, including discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and against children affected by HIV and AIDS[33].