Equality, Diversity and Inclusion seminar 'Be seen: Embedding EDI culture in schools and settings'
An increasing number of children in our settings and schools are ethnically diverse. Over 290 Ethnically diverse children are on the persistent absence list.
This online, half day seminar will support you to have a better understanding of the barriers that ethnically diverse children and their families face.
Our event will bring together experts to share their insights in supporting ethnically diverse children. The seminar will include stimulating presentations on a combination of research-based best practices and approaches, as well as opportunities for discussions and networking.
Join us on 27th February from 9.15-12.30. You can book your place via our DES Shop 👈
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What’s on offer
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We are pleased to invite you to our upcoming EDEAS Online Network Meeting on 9th December at 3:45 PM.
This meeting will be an excellent opportunity to discuss various services our team offers and explore how we can support schools to meet their obligations for ethnically diverse children and their families.
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Agenda:
1. Introduction to EDEAS and our team.
2. Overview of our services: GRTS, EAL & EDI.
3. Q&A session.
Meeting Details:
• Date: 9th December, 2024.
• Time: 3:45 PM (GMT).
• Platform: TEAMS.
HMD 2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The trust have released some new resources for 2025. Start planning your commemorations now.
You can access free resources on HMD Website 👈
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This paper discusses underlines the importance of building trusted connections and the necessity of offering flexible and adaptable lessons.
This year, the EYFS conference was held on 3rd October and explored how we can give all our children, including those with SEND and EAL, the speech and language skills and the confidence they need to speak and be heard.
The day was a great success. We managed to speak to many professionals and provided them with advice and guidance on EAL provision and bilingualism.
This year, EDEAS continues to offer fully funded EAL advisory clinics to all early years settings which are attached to maintained schools.
Refugee Education UK (REUK), with support from The Bell Foundation, have recently completed research on education for children who arrive in the UK late in the education system.
Visit their website to view the full report 👈
With the ever-increasing number of bilingual families, non-English speaking families and EAL children that are joining our Devon schools, we are not only enriched by a wealth of cultural experiences but also reminded of the importance of fostering clear and positive communication with these families.
For Informed consent an individual must have sufficient information and a clear understanding before making decisions and providing consent.
For bilingual and non-English speaking families it is crucial that reasonable adjustments are made for Informed consent. This includes consent forms required when joining the school - such as those for photographs, GDPR compliance, and agreement to school policies - as well as consent forms for school trips, residentials, and SEND assessments.
If families are not able to fully understand what they are consenting to, it not only is a safeguarding concern, but it can cause unnecessary confusion and the possibility of breaching your school’s Equality duty under the Equality Act 2010.
Examples of what can be missed when Informed consent isn’t given:
• A child going on a school trip and the family not knowing to declare a peanut allergy.
• A child appearing in a newspaper article with their peers following a choral service. For the school to find out that it is against the family’s faith to have images taken.
• Following a welcome meeting where the family signs agreement to school policies, including attendance the child has consistently very poor attendance, even though attendance awareness letters have been sent home – but in English only.
• A parent receives a SEND report following an assessment that occurred in school – but weren’t aware they had agreed to one.
• A child attends a school residential trip, but the family are unaware they would be spending the night and missing a key religious event.
What does Informed consent look like for bilingual and non-English speaking families?
• Ensuring consent forms and information is translated professionally.
• Not using translation apps – these are not sufficient to translate correctly for consent.
• Ensuring there is a professional interpreter available for any meetings.
• Not using a child, friend or relative to interpret as key information may be missed, which can cause a safeguarding concern.
How to access support:
• Interpreting services – complete a booking request form.
• Translation services – send document to educationbilingualsupport@devon.gov.uk for a free quote.
Please note: EDEAS charges for the time it takes to complete a Translation in blocks of hours, any unused time will be banked for you to use for future translations within the financial year.
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The government has announced that it has permanently extended its support for FSMs for children who following the usual process aren’t eligible.
This relates to families who are:
• Zambrano carers.
• Families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
• Families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction.
• A subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
• Chen carers.
• Families holding a BN(O) passport.
• Spousal visa holders.
• Work visa holders.
• Student visa holders.
• Those with no immigration status.
This is for household incomes:
• £22,700 for families outside of London with 1 child.
• £26,300 for families outside of London with 2 or more children.
EDEAS recognises the financial pressures for families from these communities and as a school, you will be aware of families who are struggling to feed their children.
There is a simple form that the school can complete with the family (please see the Informed consent article above) and then if they do meet the criteria the school can simply record the children as FSM on the termly census.
Are you confident in your school’s Equality duty?
Perhaps you are a governor who strives to support ethnically diverse or other minority children within the protected characteristics?
Have you seen an increase in racism or prejudice in your school?
Not sure of the risk factors for LGBTQ+, gender questioning and gender diverse children?
Or do you want to explore strategies to tip the scale for ethnically diverse or other minority children within the protected characteristics?
EDEAS has partnered with the Devon schools wellbeing partnership to provide fully funded EDI training to school staff and/or governors.
We are also delivering our EDI training through the Governance team platform through a lunchtime bitesize and a twilight session.
You can book your free place through the DES shop.
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