Inequality in Early Childhood - Term Paper Example

Inequality in Early Childhood Inequalities in Early Childhood This essay seeks to address the inequalities that children in their early childhood face during this crucial developmental stage. It identifies three aspects of inequality that children go through. The aspects are disability, religion and race. The essay attempts to explain why these issues are essential in the life of a child and the impact they have in the long-run. It then summarizes the whole essay, in conclusion, indicating the findings and recommendations. Introduction Early childhood is the period between prenatal development up to the age of eight years. This period is very crucial in the development and is also considered to be highly sensitive to external factors. It is at this point where the foundations for mental and physical capacities are laid. This influences how the child grows and their health too. Socio-economic factors are especially influential at this stage in life and can have a negative impact on child development, psychologically and developmentally. Debates on childhood development insist that there should be a balance in educational programmes for this age group. For children under the age of five, education should be centred on the development of the child. Above the age of five, academic subjects are introduced in a planned curriculum that is directed by a teacher (European Commission, 2009). A significant influence on inequality is the distribution of household income. The family is the plays the most critical role in influencing the child outcomes. This, in turn, is influenced by the social and policy outcomes that address the family and their interactions with others. There are substantial developmental differences between children from disadvantaged homes and those who are from well-to-do families. In the UK, it is estimated that 87% of children between the age of three to four spend most of their time in formal education (DfE (Department for Education and Employment), 1997). Unfortunately, United Kingdom does not offer publicly funded education for children under the age of three years. Additionally, nearly 20% of households in the United Kingdom are living below the poverty threshold. A study revealed that children who participated in pre-primary care and education had a positive effect that extended to primary school. In essence, this means that daycare is beneficial to the child’s growth. Centre-based quality day-care improves the cognitive and language skills of disadvantaged children. However, due to financial difficulties, low-income and disadvantaged families tend to choose lower quality daycare. The United Kingdom has made a few strides in providing better developmental chances for children in their early ages. This includes programs that support preschool children. Mothers are allowed up to a year of maternity leave that is job-protected and nine months of paid leave. Families from low-income households can benefit from the universal child allowance program and free universal health care. Preschool is free at the age of three. Since inequalities in early education are recognised worldwide, some laws address this. The Equality Act 2010 addresses against discriminations based on disability, gender, race, and sex. Although it does not explicitly address the issue of early childhood, it does address the fact that everyone is equal, no matter their background. It addresses direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation of children in schools or other public areas. The Act also makes certain public institutions, such as schools, treat everyone fairly. Extra protection is given to disabled persons, compelling public institutions to cater for those who are disabled so they can have equal access (Legislation.gov.uk, 2010). Article 30 of the UNCRC indicates that children belonging to the minority have the right to share their culture, religion and language with other people. This Article makes the rights of minority children clear, indicating that they should not be overlooked (UNICEF, n.d.). Moreover, the United Kingdom has its laws as well that address the issues of inequality. This includes the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (legislation.gov.uk, 1995). Religion Religion is an association of beliefs and rituals. Societies adopt rules, stories and symbols to make up a religion. It is often a way of life with answers to life or death. Article 14 of the UNCRC gives children the right and freedom to practice the religion of their choice. Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights also gives freedom of thought and religion to children. However, religious freedom is not recognised throughout the world. Some countries prohibit the practice of other religions beyond the one recognised by the country (Humanium, 2012). This means that minorities in faith are prohibited from practising their religion. Children of minorities are affected as they cannot access schools that are not faith-based. In some severe cases, changing religion may be punishable by death as it is considered a crime. In wars, religion is often a source of conflict and children bear the brunt of it. They are victims of these wars, and sometimes they are forcibly turned into soldiers once they hit a specific age. These child soldiers can be as young as five years old (Humanium, 2012). In times of these conflicts, the religious minority lack access to essential services such as school and healthcare. In some countries, religious extremists believe that girls should not be educated. Hence even at the young age, the girls cannot go to preschool where they can at least learn to read and write. Additionally, these extremists also banned playing, listening to music, laughing and singing in the streets. These are fundamental to a child’s growth and preventing it means they do not develop as desired. Child marriage is common in some countries where parents promise their girl child to an adult man when they are still infants. Many of these participants use religion as an excuse to practice these heinous acts, claiming that virginity and fertility are sacred and essential. Infants, especially baby girls, are offered to the religious leaders as offertory so that the parents can “avoid hell” even when it is against the Quran. Female Genital Mutilation is also propagated in the name of religion, encouraging this violent and dangerous act (Humanium, 2012). Faith and spirituality according to UNICEF (2011) are vital to a child's life as it contributes to their holistic development "spiritually." Children grow to be full of wonder and curiosity about their environment, and they should be able to derive meaning from this environment, even when they are not members of an established religious community. As they continue to grow, this world starts to take shape and forms part of their broader community. Religion often influences the way they see this and their participation in social and cultural institutions. Most times, the religious institutions provide children with their first contact with the outside world beyond their families and immediate neighbours. It is here they are taught morals and their behaviour and value as humans. Religion plays an essential role in a child's pre-school life. In most cases, the preschools are established by faith-based organisations because their premises are often used for daycare purposes. Even when the settings are not religious, most have an association with faith groups. Since the schools are associated with the religious organisations, they sometimes have to conform to the teachings and participate in the activities set. The Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination by religion or belief and states that there should be equality in the distribution of resources and services. This includes education. The principles of inclusion are founded during the early stages of a child’s life. It is therefore up to caregivers in the daycares and preschools to practice fairness and oppose discrimination in regards to a child’s religion or belief (Pre-School Learning Alliance, 2017). In the United Kingdom, the schools are funded by religious organisations. However, efforts are made during the Early Years Foundation Stage to promote equality and anti-discriminatory practice. The provision is that children should be given the opportunity to develop a sense of positivity for themselves and others (Evans, 2010). This means that once they are past the early childhood stage, they should: • Have awareness, be sensitive and be mindful of their own needs and those of others • Develop their own culture and beliefs and respect those of others • Understand that cultures, views, and needs differ and they should be respected Race Racism is when one holds the belief that their race is superior to another. It results in prejudice and discrimination. It divides people into distinct groups based on their social behaviour and capacities. A very good example is the Holocaust, which claimed the lives of very many Jewish children due to racism. The race is a creation of human societies where people place themselves in cultures and construct identities based on this. It is based on historical constructions that were used to differentiate social groups including language, skin colour, body shape, and many others (Rosemburg, 2014). According to Dr Naomi Priest (2016), racism is often a one-off and extreme intent and deliberate event of malice between individuals involving physical assault and verbal slur. The experience of children during such situations is ignored in the public debates. These forums seek to focus on denying that racism exists among the powerful and privileged. Scientific evidence reveals that the early years of life give foundation to the health and wellbeing of a child throughout their life. Therefore, life experiences and exposures will become embedded into a child's life and influence their health and well-being. Children who are exposed to exceptional levels of racial discrimination have a more chance of physiological exhaustion, cellular ageing and inflammation. Racism goes unrecognised in children's lives, yet it is a form of stress and has a negative impact on their educational and social wellbeing. Racial discrimination tends to make children sick as those that are targeted are at risk of depression, anxiety, suicide, behaviour difficulties and self-harm. Even when children are not the target, vicarious racism, the child is still at risk. When a caregiver or a family member experiences racial discrimination, the child has the potential to have emotional difficulties and increase in weight (Priest, 2016). The UNCRC provides in article 2 that children should be respected and their rights assured without discrimination of any kind, regardless of their/ their parent’s race, colour, religion, sex, language, ethnic, national or social origin (UNICEF, n.d.). Anushka Asthana (2010) states that racism is still very common in the United Kingdom. She writes that ethnicity and discrimination have contributed to under and overachievement for different groups. Exclusions from schools are common for non-white British children. This is attributed to racial discrimination in the classroom that is continuously being denied. Most educators and caregivers fail to maintain high expectations of all children and instead single them out into separate groups. Even as enrollment to preschool continuous to steadily increase, there are still ethnic differences. You find that minority groups enrol less than the majority (Priest, 2016). Those who enrol do not receive the same kind of care as they might be in centres that offer fewer services. It is important that children are taught about diversity at a young age so that they can differentiate it from racism. Adults hold power to maintain or eliminate bias. Addressing these biases at a young age is developmentally appropriate as they learn the realities of discrimination and prejudice. Children should be able to construct positivity and an understanding of others. This contributes to emotional and social well-being. Arming them with this information helps to remove barriers and generate comfortable and respectful interactions with others. They are also able to resist negativity and enhances their openness to different perspectives and critical thinking (Rosemburg, 2014). To promote their positive thinking, teachers and caregivers should cultivate children's empathy through stories and illustration, engage them in activities that counter stereotypes, engage them in group activities and support their pursuit of awareness. Helping them to make sense of others and themselves will provide self-confidence and foster a healthy racial identity. Arming them with the correct tools that address unfairness and racial discrimination will help them build a strong foundation for their future. Disability According to a paper by WHO and UNICEF (2012), disability is the “interaction between health conditions and environmental and personal factors,” and it is not a biological or social phenomenon. It manifests in three levels • Limited activity, including the inability to move around • Body impairment where bodily functions do not occur normally • Restricted participation including not attending school. Some children are born with disabilities while others get it get it from poor nutrition, injury or illness. Some children experience multiple impairments like communication and intellectual impairments. The complexity of the impairment coupled with the personal and environmental factors show that each child experiences disability differently. Children with disabilities in their early ages experience marginalisation and exclusion these discriminations occur due to lack of understanding, fear of contamination, fear of difference, negative views on disability, isolation, poverty, difficult environments and lack of services and support (World Health Organization, UNICEF, 2012). Mainstream programmes fail to provide services that cater to the development and growth of children with disabilities. It is important to avoid labelling children based on their disability and working with them requires approaches that are well- tailored and thought-out. Children with disabilities have rights as well. They have the right to be protected from discrimination, they are entitled to participate in all aspects of life, right to equal opportunities and should be treated with dignity. Further, they should not be institutionalised because of their disability. In some instances, children may experience a developmental delay. This means that they vary in achieving milestones for their age. The delay can be mild, moderate or severe. The causes are attributed to malnutrition, inadequate stimulation, chronic ill health, poor birth outcomes, familial situations or psychological situations. Developmental delay can be used to identify children with disability although it is not always permanent. It helps to come up with timely interventions and an accommodative environment if the child is found to have a disability (World Health Organization, UNICEF, 2012). To support children with developmental delays, Early Childhood Intervention programmes work best. The services help to improve the family competencies while enhancing the child’s development. Such services are medical, psychological, rehabilitation and family support. They also help the child to access institutions that offer preschool and child care services. In as much as disability can occur in any family, poverty increases its likelihood of occurrence. Sometimes, pregnant women who live in poverty lack the required diet, are exposed to pollutants and often experience poor health. The same applies to children living in poverty. They experience developmental delays as they are exposed to a wide range of risks. Additionally, disability contributes to poverty as parents have to take time off their daily activities to give special care to a disabled child. Their siblings may also miss school to do the same. There are also additional costs such as transportation and healthcare bills. When a child has a disability, the kind of care they receive may not be of quality. The caregivers tend to interact with the children differently than if they did not have a disability. Caregivers also get stressed out because some disabilities lead to high dependency and economic barriers. Isolation is also common especially in communities that have negative beliefs about disability. Forms of Disability • Cerebral Palsy/ Loco-motor impairment • Visual impairment • Hearing impairment • Mental illnesses • Learning disabilities: dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and ADHD. The Models of Disability The way people perceive disability is based on their attitudes. This can be explained by the medical and social models (Shakespeare & Watson, 2002). The medical model of disability focuses on the impairment of a disabled person and the inability to access services or participate in the society fully. This model has influenced legislation structures such as the Equality Act 2010. It focuses on how to “repair” the disabled person and not the interventions needed to support them. The social model of disability is the most preferred. It was a creation by persons with disability, and it addresses the barriers that exist between them. The model works at removing these barriers and granting them more inclusion. The model indicates the problems that disabled people face due to external factors, for instance, venues that are not accessible. The model identifies that there is a difference between the disability and impairment. Disability is an experience caused by the societal approach to the impairments. For example, a person cannot go to an event because they use a wheelchair and there is lack of accessibility to the venue. The model recognises that people's attitudes also present barriers the same way the physical environment does. They include attitudes like stereotypes and organisational practices. Therefore, the social model describes disability as a cause of the societal organisation. Removing these barriers helps the disabled people to be more independent and participate equally in society. The model explains the personal experience and develops inclusivity in living. The factors that cause societal disability include poverty, assumptions, inaccessible information, inaccessible transport, prejudice, devaluing, employment discrimination, inaccessible areas, lack of education (useful), believing in the medical model and segregated services. Taking the initiative to address disability during early childhood will help the child develop to their maximum according to CRC and CRPD. The focus should also be placed on the environmental influences and not just the impairment. Supporting children with disabilities also means that they have a more significant chance to become productive adults. Future expenses in education, medical care and social spending are reduced. Moreover, a child’s brain develops in the first three years of their life. Paying attention to Early Childhood Development will ensure that the child can flourish and survive and participate in building their lives. The ECD programmes also influence growth and development. They help children with disabilities attend school while their parents engage in income-generating activities. Plans involve centre-based approaches such as home visits also help in detection of developmental delays. Conclusion Inequality in early childhood is experienced both directly and indirectly. Discrimination experienced by caregivers, parents, or guardians leaves an imprint in the child’s life. Biases express the political, cultural and economic structures in the society and children’s lives. Distribution of resources and opportunities are not aligned and are discriminatory regarding ethnicity, economic status and religion. Most of the children facing inequalities have the least resources that they can use to address the situation. Disability is causes inequality in early childhood as children with impairments are not given the same opportunities and services. In some cases, the society fails even to recognise that they exist and does not make efforts to accommodate them. Additionally, disability is often associated with economic deprivation where parents cannot afford the facilities required to keep enhancing their children's development. Institutions that cater for disabled children are often expensive. Inequalities are also seen in the attitudes that people have against disability, and many view it as a disadvantage. Inequality is also experienced in a religion where the children are subjected to practices that demean them or are forced to take up other religious cultures when they are in school. Race is still a growing issue in early childhood as many fail to understand that diversity is much better than labelling. Especially, with the high numbers of immigrants into the UK, many are starting to ignore the diversity and instead are embracing racial discrimination. Conclusively, the only way that inequalities can be addressed in early childhood is for the adults to realise that what they instil in the children's lives builds them mentally and physically. The developmental stage where the children start to explore their world is the best because they can be taught against discrimination and prejudice. Identifying children's potential and weaknesses is best done during early childhood as they can be directed towards growth and development that will contribute positively to their future. They will then be able to live and accept others in the society despite their disabilities, race, sex, religion, or ethnicity. References Read More