What lies Beneath

Cognitive shortcuts we all take can lead to unconscious bias. How can we recognise it and what can we do about it affecting our settings?

Dr Pete Jones, a chartered psychologist and bias specialist, says: “What the people we love and the people who care for us say about particular groups in society influences us. Repeated exposure to patterns within the media will be wired into neural pathways in the brain. And the experiences someone has had – particularly emotional experiences – will influence them too.”

As well as affinity bias, there is confirmation bias, where we look for examples of behaviour that “prove” our bias about a child, and attribution bias, where we explain a child’s behaviour on their character rather than the context and situation. “Perhaps you are from Manchester and you like the Manchester accent,” Stella says. “You might unconsciously limit what you offer to those with different accents.”

Pragya Agarwal, author of Wish We Knew What to Say: Talking With Children About

Race, says it is particularly important for early years professionals to address any unconscious biases

“because we know that children pick up implicit messages from their carers and educators, and start forming biases and stereotypes from a very young age”.

She adds: “These prejudices can become embedded by the time a child is 8 or 9, so it becomes very important to challenge and tackle any stereotypes that children might be

1

Set aside time to look within yourself, honestly reflect and note down biases. “We need little thinking spaces, just to pause for a moment and think ‘Am I making an assumption here?’” says psychologist Pete Jones.

2

Consider how you would like to think differently. “This means taking time each day to focus on new thinking and new beliefs, and following that up with action,” says inclusivity coach Ruth Kudzi. “It equally means educating yourself and being vulnerable to admit that there are some parts of you that do have biases you might not be proud of.”

3

Apologise if you get things wrong. “We can only deal with bias if we are honest and admit our mistakes,” Mine Conkbayir says. Stella Louis adds: “It’s an uncomfortable feeling to realise we have unconsciously discriminated against someone. But we’ve got to move past that feeling. If we don't, it blocks us from countering whenever we do unconsciously discriminate.”

There are serious consequences. Stella cites the example of a 5-year-old Black boy who had lived within the care system since the age of 9 months, was labelled “violent and aggressive” and school. “When you unpick what is going on it turns out that he didn’t say ‘No, thank you’,” she says. “It’s really easy for these picking f rom their environments.” are consequences. Stella cites the of a Black the care system since the of was and and suspended f rom school “When you what is on turns out didn’t say ‘No, thank she “It’s easy for these

Resources International on engaging children in discussion of their bit.ly/Amnesty-

Amnesty on engaging children in own rights: bit.ly/Amnestyfirst-steps

Gender Action, a tackle gender stereotypes in

Gender Action, a framework to stereotypes in early years settings: genderaction.co.uk stereotypes to become lling prophecies.” stereotypes to become self-fulfilling Mine “Left unaddressed unconscious

Mine Conkbayir says: “Left unaddressed, unconscious bias leads to a lack of diversity and equality of opportunity, as well as opening the risk for discrimination. Ultimately, it will hinder children’s holistic development and learning.”

Dr Carol Davenport, Associate Professor at Northumbria University, says childcare practitioners should make sure resources are inclusive, and put structures and processes in place that help to minimise the impact of unconscious bias. “Educators could observe which children are using which areas, and see if there is an imbalance there. could then encourage a broader range ofchildren to playinthat there. They could then encourage a broader range of children to play in that area – deliberately encouraging children and supporting them to challenge stereotypes.”

And if children do show signs of bias, they need to be addressed. “If we ignore it,” says Stella, “we’re not supporting the child that’s been discriminated against. And we’re not countering the bias or giving children factual information about difference. All we’re really doing is reinforcing the discrimination that’s taken place.”

The best place to start is self-reflection and fairness, but also to reflect on how we meaningfully celebrate difference. CP

How to talk to your race racism:

How to talk to your children about race and racism: bbc.in/3iSvPgH

The Welsh Governmenthas

Government has published the AntiRacist Wales Action Plan designed to tackle systemic and institutionalised racism across the country, including in the child care and play sector: gov.wales/antiracist-walesaction-plan

The next edition of Childcare Professional will focus in-depth on unconscious bias in relation to race.

With the cost of living at an all-time high, many childcare professionals are bearing the brunt. While those who run settings and employ a team try to cover their costs, many employees on National Minimum Wage (NMW) are struggling to make ends meet. So the increase to NMW that’s set to start in April could be seen as a double-edged sword, depending on which group you fall into (see box).

Since its introduction in 1999, NMW has been protecting workers –including apprentices, childminding assistants, nursery employees and agency staff – from exploitative wages.

Currently, workers aged 16 and 17 and apprentices up to the age of 19 have to receive a minimum hourly rate of £4.81. NMW rises to £6.83 for 18- to 20-year-olds, then £9.18 for 21- and 22-year-olds. Once staff hit 23, they move onto the hourly National Living Wage of £9.50.

In April, the bands will increase by up to 10 per cent following recommendations from the Low Pay Commission.

For both employers and staff, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of NMW.