A Report into Racism

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Lai May Man        Unit 10 ~ Anti-discriminatory / Anti-Bias Practice        Page

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A Report into Racism

Introduction

It is important to carry out this investigation because in the long term children who are in our care at the moment will be the next generation of adults who will run the country one day. By teaching children values and respect at a young age, society will be fairer to everyone.

It is crucial to learn about anti-discrimination practice as it may affect children’s development, for example a child that experiences racial discrimination may lack confidence throughout their lives.

Racism occurs at times when people do not understand cultures and traditions that are different to the ones they follow themselves. These thoughts and ideas are usually passed on from parents and carers to a child from a young age and stay with them as they grow up so that they form stereotypical views.

Research by Milner (1983) shows that

“children as young as 3 years attach value to skin colour, with both black and white children perceiving white as superior to black.” 

This supports the theory that children can absorb messages about racial stereotyping from a very young age.

By undertaking this investigation I will become an efficient diploma childcare and education worker in how to avoid discrimination in a setting and reinforce my knowledge on best practice. I will observe the influence of resources in promoting anti-racism within the day nursery. I will learn more about children’s rights, the law that protects them from racism and where I stand in the eye of the law. In the future my knowledge from this study will raise my awareness of racism and prevent it occurring – after all, prevention is better than cure.

Discrimination is the ability to identify differences between individuals or groups, then to deny one individual or group favour of another. From a health and care point of view this means denying access to services and preventing equal opportunities.

A definition of racism by Meggitt et al. (2000) states:

“Racism is the belief that some ‘races’ are superior to others based on the false idea that different physical characteristics (i.e. skin colour) or ethnic background make some people better than others.”

Racial discrimination can occur to anyone, at any time in their lives, at any age from babies to the elderly.

Examples to show this:

  • In a nursery – a child may be refused a place because they are black
  • In a school – a child may be bullied by other children because of their skin colour
  • On the street – black teenager may be stopped more often by the police than white teenager
  • In the workplace – when applying for a job, the manager may favour white over black people
  • Elderly homes – elderly residents may have a dislike to people from different cultures joining

        

“There has been a rise in racial attacks in Britain, some resulting in death.

The experience of racial attacks can be devastating for an individual and their family…”

Beaver et al. (2001)

If a child suffers from racial discrimination the effects are lifelong. Here are some effects children may have:

  • Lack confidence in themselves to try out new activities
  • Not fulfil potential because of the way other people view their status
  • Suffer low self-esteem which may interfere with their ability to form relationships
  • Feel ashamed of their culture / race
  • Discriminate against other cultures
  • Feel guilty and think they deserve poor treatment
  • Negative images about themselves
  • Be too scared to go out in case racist comments are said about them
  • Blame themselves for any trouble that occurs
  • Be so affected by stereotyping that events become a self-fulfilling prophecy, for example, if a black child is told that black people are destined to be lower classed and not achieve well then the child behaves accordingly with expectations.
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Review of Literature

Stephen Lawrence was brutally murdered aged 18 years on April 22nd 1993. He was waiting with his friend Duwayne Brooks for a bus home at 22.30. Stephen walked into the centre of the road to see if a bus was coming and his friend called out to him. A group of 5 or 6 white youths across the other side of the road called out ‘what, what nigger?’ and they ...

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