Below is a short article we wrote for the local magazine ‘Up Our Street’, which is put together by Eastside Community Trust and distributed free across Easton and Lawrence Hill. There’s so much more we could say about this, but we didn’t have a lot of space in the magazine! 

At Easton Community Children’s Centre, anti-racism is central to our work. Studies show children recognise race from an early age and use it to help categorise people and understand the world. Children pick up messages in society about how to treat certain people, so we need to support them early to recognise and value people’s differences positively.

This is a huge topic, but we wanted to share a few tips on where you could start!

1. Check your book shelf and the toys and resources children have access to. For example, are there representations of Global majority characters in everyday life or positions of joy, achievement or power? Representation of different hair styles, head coverings? Simple age appropriate language about racism? Find inspiration at www.inclusivebooksforchildren.org

2. Offer children opportunities to value and celebrate difference. If you need inspiration, you could visit the ‘7 Saints of St Pauls’ with the children in your life. This is a trip we take our nursery children on each year, and they love it! You can use our guide and map here to plan your trip. 

3. Talk to other families about how they approach anti-racism with their children.

4. Children are learning by watching you. Model kindness and empathy, and speak up to counteract prejudice and stereotyping.