Inclusion and Equality Policy

At just kidding after school club, we take great care, to treat everyone with equal rights and responsibilities to any other individual, whether they are an adult or a child. We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children and families according to their individual needs. Discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, or maternity, ethnic or national origin, or political belief has no place within Just Kidding After School Club.

A commitment to implementing our inclusion and equality policy will form part of each employee’s job description. Should anyone believe that this policy is not being upheld, it is their duty to report the matter to the attention of the Manager at the earliest opportunity. Appropriate steps will then be taken to investigate the matter and if such concerns are well-founded, disciplinary action will be invoked under Just Kidding After School Club disciplinary policy.

The Legal Framework for this policy is based on:

• Special education Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice 2015
• Children and families Act 2014
• Childcare Act 2006
• Children Act 2004
• Care standards Act 2002
• Equality Act 2010
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001

Just Kidding After School Club and staff are committed to:

• Recruiting, selecting, and promoting individual based on occupational skills requirements. In this respect, Just Kidding After School Club will ensure that no job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, sex, gender reassignment, disability, marriage or civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or maternity/paternity

• Providing a childcare place, wherever possible, for children who may have learning difficulties and/or disabilities or are deemed disadvantaged according to their individual circumstances, and the club’s ability to provide the necessary standard of care.

• Making reasonable adjustments for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

• Striving to promote equal access to services and projects by taking practical steps (whenever possible and reasonable), such as ensuring access to people with additional needs by producing materials in relevant languages and media for all children and their families.

• Providing a secure environment in which all our children can flourish, and all contributions are valued.

• Including and valuing the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality, inclusion, and diversity.

• Providing positive non-stereotypical information

• Continually improving our knowledge and understanding of issues of equality, inclusion, and diversity.

• Regularly reviewing, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of inclusive practices to ensure they promote, and value diversity and difference and that the policy is effective, and practice are non-discriminatory the policy is effective and practices are non-discriminatory.

• Making inclusion a thread, which runs through the entirely of the club, for example, by encouraging positive role models using toys, imaginary play and activities, promoting non-stereotyping images and language and challenges all discriminatory behaviour. (see dealing with discriminatory behaviour policy).

Admission service provision

Just kidding After School Club is accessible to all children and families in the local community and further afield through a compressive and inclusion admissions policy.

The club will strive to ensure that all services and projects are accessible and relevant to all groups and individuals in the community within targeted age groups.

Recruitment

Recruitment, promotion and other selection exercises such as redundancy selection will be conducted on the basis of merit, against objective criteria that avoid discrimination. shortlisting should be done by more than one person if possible.

All members of the selection group will be committed to the inclusion practice set out in this policy and will have received appropriate training in this regard.

Application forms will not include questions that potentially discriminate on the grounds specified in the statement of intent.

Vacancies should generally be advertised to diverse places. Advisements should avoid stereotyping or using wording that may discourage a particular group from applying.

At interview, no questions will be posed which potentially discriminate on the grounds specified in the statement of intent. All candidates will be asked the same questions and members of the selection group will not introduce nor use any personal knowledge of candidates acquired outside the selection process. Candidates will be given the opportunity to receive feedback on the reasons why they were not successful

UNDER THE EQUALITY ACT 2010

ONLY QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASK PRIOR TO OFFERING SOMEONE EMPLOYMENT IN FOLOWING CIRCUMTANCES.

• You need to establish whether the applicant will be able to comply with a requirement to undergo an assessment (e,g. an interview or selection test)

• You need to establish whether will be able to carry out a function that is intrinsic to the work concerned.

• You want to monitor diversity in the range of people applying for work

• You want to take positive action towards a particular group – for example offering a guaranteed interview scheme

• You require someone with a particular disability because of an occupational requirement for the job.

Staff

It is the policy of Just Kidding After School Club not to discriminate in the treatment of individuals. All staff are expected to co-operate with the implementation, monitoring and improvement of this and other policies. All staff are expected to challenge language, actions, behaviours, and attitudes which are oppressive or discriminatory on the grounds specified in this policy and recognise and celebrate other cultures and traditions. All staff are expected to participate in equality and inclusion

Staff will follow the ‘Dealing with Discriminatory Behaviour’ policy where applicable to report any discriminatory behaviours observed.

Training

Just Kidding After School Club recognises the importance of training as a key factor in the implementation of an effective inclusion and equality policy. All new staff receive induction training including specific reference to the inclusion and equality policy. The Club will strive towards the provision of inclusion, equality and diversity training for all staff on an annual basis.

Early learning framework

Early learning opportunities offered at Just Kidding After School Club encourage children to develop positive attitudes to people who are different from them. It encourages children to empathise with others and to begin to develop the skills of critical thinking.

We do this by:

• Making children feel valued and good about themselves
• Ensuring that all children have equal access to early learning and play opportunities
• Reflecting the widest possible range of communities in the choice of resources
• Avoiding stereotypical or derogatory images in the selection of materials
• Acknowledging and celebrating a wide range of religions, beliefs and festivals
• Creating an environment of mutual respect and empathy
• Helping children to understand that discriminatory behaviour and remarks are unacceptable
• Ensuring that all early learning opportunities offered are inclusive of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Ensuring that children whose first language is not English have full access to early learning opportunities and are supported in their learning
• Working in partnership with all families to ensure they understand the policy and challenge any discriminatory comments made
• Ensuring the medical, cultural, and dietary needs of children are met
• Identifying a key person to each child who will continuously observe, assess and plan for children’s learning and development
• Helping children to learn about a range of food and cultural approaches to meal times and to respect the differences among them.

Information and meetings

Information about Just Kidding After School Club, its activities and children’s development will be given in a variety of ways according to individual needs (written, verbal and translated), to ensure that all parents can access the information they need.  At just Kidding After School club, we share information with parents as follows:

• Newsletters
• Daily verbal feedback
• Emails and social media advertising about upcoming holidays and events
• Whenever possible, meetings will be arranged to give all families option to attend and contribute their ideas about the running of the club.

Special educational needs and disability (SEND)

This policy has been created with regard to:

• The SEND Code of Practice 2015
• Children and Families Act 2014 (Part 3)
• Equality Act 2010
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)
• Statutory Framework for the EYFS (2017)

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) code of practice

Just Kidding After School Club has regard to the authority guidance set out in the special Educational Needs and disability code of practice (DIE 2015) to identify, assess, and make provision for children with special educational needs.

At just kidding After School Club, we use the SEND Code of practice (2015) definition of Special Educational needs and disability.

A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her

A child of compulsory school age or a young school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• Has a significantly difficulty in than most others of the same age, or
• Has a disability which prevents or hidden him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provide for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post -16 institutions.

Statement of intent

All children have the right to be cared for and educated to develop to their full potential alongside their peers through positive experiences, to enable them to share opportunities and experiences and develop and learn from each other. We provide a positive and welcoming environment where children are supported according to their individual needs, and we work hard to ensure no children are discriminated against or put at a disadvantage because of their needs. Each child’s needs are unique, therefore any attempt to categorise children is inappropriate.

We are committed to working in partnership with parents to meet their child’s individual needs and develop to their full potential. We are committed to working with any child who has a specific need and/or disability and making reasonable adjustments to enable every child to make full use of the club’s facilities. All children have a right to a broad and well-balanced early learning environment

Where we believe a child may have additional needs that have previously been unacknowledged, we will work closely with the child’s parents and any relevant professionals to establish if any additional action is required

Where a child has additional needs, we feel it is paramount to find out as much as possible about those needs; any way that this may affect his/her early learning or care needs and any additional help he/she may need by

• Liaising with the child’s parents and, where appropriate, the child
• Liaising with any professional agencies
• Reading any reports that have been prepared
• Attending any review meetings with the local authority/professionals
• Observing each child’s development and monitoring such observations regularly.

All children will be given a full setting in period when joining Just Kidding After School Club according to their individual’s needs.

We will

• Recognise each child’s individual needs and ensure all staff are aware of, and have regard for, the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice
• Ensure that all children are treated as individuals/equals and are supported to take part in every aspect of the club day according to their individual needs and abilities
• Encourage children to value and respect others
• Share any statutory and other assessments made by the club with parents and support parents in seeking any help they or the child may need
• Include all children and their families in our provision
• Identify the specific needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and meet those needs through a range of strategies
• Ensure that children who learn at an accelerated pace e.g. ‘most able’ are also supported
• Provide well informed and suitably trained practitioners to help support parents and children with special educational difficulties and/or disabilities
• Develop and maintain a core team of staff who are experienced in the care of children with additional needs and identify a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENCO) who is experienced in the care and assessment of children with additional needs.  Staff will be provided with specific training relating to SEND and the SEND Code of Practice
• Monitor and review our practice and provision and, if necessary, make adjustments, and seek specialist equipment and services if needed
• Challenge inappropriate attitudes and practices
• Promote positive images and role models during play experiences of those with additional needs wherever possible
• Celebrate diversity in all aspects of play and learning.
• Work in partnership with parents and other agencies in order to meet individual children’s needs, including the education, health and care authorities, and seek advice, support and training where required

Just Kidding After School Club’s Special Education Needs and Disabilities

Co-Ordinator (SENCO) is :

The role of the SENCO includes:

• ensuring all practitioners understand their responsibilities to children with SEN and the setting’s approach to identifying and meeting SEN
• advising and supporting colleagues
• ensuring parents are closely involved throughout and that their insights inform action taken by the setting
• liaising with professionals or agencies beyond the setting
• taking the lead in implementing the graduated approach and supporting colleagues through each stage of the process.

We will:

• Designate a named member of staff to be the SENCO and share their name with parents
• Have high aspirations for all children and support them to achieve to their full potential
• Develop respectful partnerships with parents and families
• Ensure parents are involved at all stages of the assessment, planning, provision and review of their child’s care and education and where possible include the thoughts and feelings voiced by the child
• Signpost parents and families to our Local Offer in order to access local support and services
• Provide a statement showing how we provide for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and share this with staff, parents and other professionals
• Ensure that the provision for children with SEN and/or disabilities is the responsibility of all members of staff in the club through training and professional discussions
• Set out in our inclusive admissions practice on how we meet  equality of access and opportunity
• Make reasonable adjustments to our physical environment to ensure it is, as far as possible suitable for children and adults with disabilities using the facilities
• Provide a broad, balanced, aspirational early learning environment for all children with SEN and/or disabilities and differentiated activities to meet all individual needs and abilities
• Liaise with other professionals involved with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families, including transition arrangements to other settings and schools.
• Use the graduated response system  to assess, plan, do and review to ensure early identification of any SEND
• Ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their parents are consulted at all stages of the graduated response, taking into account their levels of ability
• Review children’s progress and support plans e.g every holiday, and work with parents to agree on further support plans
• Provide privacy of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities when intimate care is being provided
• Raise awareness of any specialism the setting has to offer, e.g. Makaton trained staff
• Ensure the effectiveness of our SEN/disability provision by collecting information from a range of sources e.g. additional support reviews, Education and Healthcare (EHC) plans, staff and management meetings, parental and external agencies’ views, inspections and complaints. This information is collated, evaluated and reviewed annually
• Provide a complaints procedure and make available to all parents in a format that meets their needs e.g. Braille, audio, large print, additional languages
• Monitor and review our policy and procedures annually.

Effective Assessment of the need for early help

Local agencies should work together to put processes in place for the effective assessment of the needs of individual children who may benefit from early help services. Children and families may need support from a wide range of local agencies. Where a child and family would benefit from coordinated support from more than one agency (e.g. education, health, housing, police) there should be an inter-agency assessment. These early help assessments, such as the Common Assessment Framework, should identify what help the child and family require to prevent needs escalating to a point where intervention would be needed via a statutory assessment under the Children Act 1989.

The early help assessment should be undertaken by a lead professional who should provide support to the child and family, act as an advocate on their behalf and coordinate the delivery of support services. The lead professional role could be undertaken by a General Practitioner (GP), family support worker, teacher, health visitor and/or special educational needs coordinator. Decisions about who should be the lead professional should be taken on a case-by-case basis and should be informed by the child and their family. For an early help assessment to be effective.

• The assessment should be undertaken with the agreement of the child and their parents or carers. It should involve the child and family as well as all the professionals who are working with them;
• A teacher, GP, health visitor, early years’ worker or other professional should be able to discuss concerns they may have about a child and family with a social worker in the local authority. Local authority children’s social care should set out the process for how this will happen; and
• If parents and/or the child do not consent to an early help assessment, then the lead professional should make a judgement as to whether, without help, the needs of the child will escalate. If so, a referral into local authority children’s social care may be necessary.

If parents and/or the child do not consent to an early help assessment, then the lead professional should make a judgement as to whether, without help, the needs of the child will escalate. If so, a referral into local authority

This policy was adopted by: Just Kidding After School Club

Date: 7 September 2022

Next review date: 7 September 2023