Equality and Diversity policy

Statement of Intent

Polstead Preschool is committed to taking positive and proactive steps to ensure that we provide a safe and caring environment, free from discrimination, for everyone in our community.

Objectives

To help everyone involved to counteract and eliminate both direct and indirect discrimination in decision-making, employment practices and service provision and to ensure that our services strive to achieve equality of opportunity for all.
To provide a welcoming and caring environment that promotes and reflects cultural and social diversity and is equally accessible to all.
Preschool recognises that achieving the objectives of our Equality and Diversity Policy relies on the active involvement of parents/carers, as set out in the Partnership with Parents/Carers policy. As such, Preschool will both welcome and encourage parents and carers to get involved in the running and management of Preschool, and to comment on the effectiveness of its policies and procedures.
Preschool will endeavour to facilitate regular opportunities for consultation with parents/carers about the provision, as a means of monitoring the effectiveness of its Equality and Diversity Policy.

Procedures

Admissions

We ensure that our services are open and available to all parents/carers and children in the local community.
We reflect the diversity of members of our community in our publicity and promotional materials.
We ensure that issues of race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, social background, religion, culture, gender, language, sexual orientation and disability do not inhibit a child from accessing our services.
We treat all children and their parents/carers with equal concern and value.

Activities

We have regard for promoting understanding, respect and awareness of diversity and equal opportunities issues in planning and implementing Preschool’s programme of activities.
We help all children to celebrate and express their cultural and religious identity by providing a wide range of appropriate resources and activities.
Preschool aims to provide positive non-stereotyping information and role model behaviour about gender roles, diverse ethnic and cultural groups and people with disabilities.
We positively reflect the widest possible range of communities in the choice of resources; and avoid stereotypes or derogatory images in the selection of books and other visual materials.
We endeavour to create an environment of mutual respect and tolerance and help children to understand that discriminatory behaviour and remarks are hurtful and unacceptable.
Preschool will challenge and take action against any offensive or discriminatory behaviour, language or attitudes with regards to race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, social background, religion, culture, gender, language, sexual orientation, disability and age.
We ensure that the activities offered are inclusive of all children.
We work in partnership with parents/carers to ensure that the medical, cultural and dietary needs of children are met.
We encourage and support staff to act as positive role models to children by displaying and promoting tolerant and respectful behaviour, language and attitudes and we challenge and take action against any discriminatory incident, according to the provisions set out in the disciplinary procedures within the Staffing Policy and the Behaviour Management Policy.

Employment and staffing

We ensure that Preschool’s recruitment policies and procedures are open, fair and non-discriminatory.
We endeavour to recruit a staff team that reflects the make-up of our local community.
We ensure that all members of staff are aware of, and understand, this Equality and Diversity policy.
We seek out training opportunities for staff and volunteers to enable them to develop anti-discriminatory and inclusive practices, which enable all children to flourish.
We take action against any member of staff found to be acting, or have been acting, in a discriminatory way, according to the provisions of the disciplinary procedures within the Staffing Policy.

All Preschool’s policies and procedures will be kept under review to ensure they do not operate in a discriminatory manner or in anyway against its commitment to equal opportunities. We have a dedicated member of staff to ensure our Equality and Diversity policy is up to date and adhered to. To date this person is Adriana Hughes.