Children's rights and entitlements

Policy statement

• We promote children's right to be strong, resilient and listened to by creating an environment in our setting that encourages children to develop a positive self-image, which includes their heritage arising from their colour and ethnicity, their languages spoken at home, their religious beliefs, cultural traditions and home background.
• We promote children's right to be strong, resillient and listened to by encouraging children to develop a sense of autonomy and independence.
• We promote children's right to be strong, resillient and listened to by enabling children to have the self-confidence and the vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches.
• We help children to establish and sustain satisfying relationships within their families, with peers, and with other adults.
• We work with parents to build their understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of safeguarding all our children.

What it means to promote children’s rights and entitlements to be ‘strong, resilient and listened to’.

To be strong means to be:

• secure in their foremost attachment relationships, where they are loved and cared for by at least one person who is able to offer consistent, positive and unconditional regard and who can be relied on;
• safe and valued as individuals in their families and in relationships beyond the family, such as day care or school; self-assured and form a positive sense of themselves – including all aspects of their identity and heritage;
• included equally and belong in early years settings and in community life;
• confident in abilities and proud of their achievements;
• progressing optimally in all aspects of their development and learning;
• part of a peer group in which to learn to negotiate, develop social skills and identity as global citizens, respecting the rights of others in a diverse world; and
• able to represent themselves and participate in aspects of service delivery that affects them, as well as aspects of key decisions that affect their lives.

To be resilient means to:

• be sure of their self-worth and dignity;
• be able to be assertive and state their needs effectively;
• be able to overcome difficulties and problems;
• be positive in their outlook on life;
• be able to cope with challenge and change;
• have a sense of justice towards themselves and others;
• develop a sense of responsibility towards themselves and others; and
• be able to represent themselves and others in key decision making processes.

To be listened to means:

• adults who are close to children recognise their need and right to express and communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas;
• adults who are close to children are able to tune in to their verbal, sign and body language in order to understand and interpret what is being expressed and communicated;
• adults who are close to children are able to respond appropriately and, when required, act upon their understanding of what children express and communicate; and
• adults respect children’s rights and facilitate children’s participation and representation in imaginative and child centred ways in all aspects of core services.

Fundamental British Values in the Early Years

The fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs are already implicitly embedded in the updated Early Years Foundation Stage.

What it means to promote British Values in the Early Years

Democracy: making decisions together

As part of the focus on self-confidence and self-awareness as cited in Personal, Social and Emotional Development:

• Managers and staff encourage children to see their role in the bigger picture, encouraging children to know their views count, value each other’s views and values and talk about their feelings, for example when they do or do not need help.
• When appropriate democracy in action is demonstrated, for example, children sharing views on what the theme of their role play area could be with a show of hands.
• Staff support the decisions that children make and provide activities that involve turn taking, sharing and collaboration.
• Children are given opportunities to develop enquiring minds in an atmosphere where questions are valued.

Rule of law: understanding rules matter

As part of the focus on managing feelings and behaviour as cited in Personal Social and Emotional Development:

• Staff ensure that children understand their own and others’ behaviour and its consequences and learn to distinguish right from wrong.
• Staff collaborate with children to create the rules and the codes of behaviour, for example, to agree the rules about tidying up and ensure that all children understand rules apply to everyone.

Individual liberty: freedom for all

As part of the focus on self-confidence & self-awareness and people & communities as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development and Understanding the World

• Children should develop a positive sense of themselves. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and increase their confidence in their own abilities, for example through allowing children to take risks on an obstacle course, mixing colours, talking about their experiences and learning.
• Staff encourage a range of experiences that allow children to explore the language of feelings and responsibility, reflect on their differences and understand we are free to have different opinions, for example in a small ‘Sunshine Circles’ groups discussing how they are feeling and listening to the responses of others.

Mutual respect and tolerance: treat others as you want to be treated

As part of the focus on people & communities, managing feelings & behaviour and making relationships as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development and Understanding the World

• Managers and staff create an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance where views, faiths, cultures and races are valued, and children are engaged with the wider community.
• Children acquire a tolerance and appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; know about similarities and differences between themselves and others and among families, faiths, communities, cultures and traditions and share and discuss practices, celebrations and experiences.
• Staff encourage and explain the importance of tolerant behaviours such as sharing and respecting other’s opinions.
• Staff promote diverse attitudes and challenge stereotypes, for example, sharing stories that reflect and value the diversity of children’s experiences and providing resources and activities that challenge gender, cultural and racial stereotyping.