Within all of our nurseries, we believe that we need to value and celebrate the diversity within our communities. We aim to develop good practice and have positive attitudes within the nursery environment by promoting staff to be positive role models for the children in our care. We believe that everyone, including adults should have equal opportunities to learn, develop and grow with dignity and mutual respect.
We will aim to achieve this by:
- Ensuring all adults and children are valued as individuals. We understand that all who visit us have differing social, intellectual and cultural backgrounds.
- We involve families in the settling-in process, making sure that the key person is aware of the child’s specific emotional, medical, cultural or religious needs, including catering for these needs at meal times.
- You as the parents/carers are valued as the child’s first educators and staff work closely with you to share information and experiences.
- We celebrate a variety of festivals and celebrations each year from the cultures represented within our communities as well as celebrating worldwide events.
- When planning for the children’s development we understand that children will grow and develop in their own time. We monitor activities on a regular basis to ensure that the children have a freedom of choice, time for discovery and support when necessary.
- When the children are playing, we encourage them to respect and value their peers. We discourage them from making hurtful comments and unkind remarks. Children are helped to understand that it is wrong to judge others because of their gender, beliefs, culture, disabilities and social background.
Staff achieve this by:
- Ensuring they are following the above within their daily practice.
- We take into account the equal opportunities policy when recruiting staff.
- We keep staff informed and update them regularly on new national initiatives and Early Years Development courses in the staff room/staff meetings. This then allows them to further their own personal development.
- Behaving in a professional manner whilst being consistent, sensitive and fair.