February 20, 2025Liz Pemberton
On this occasion, we turn to The Black Nursery Manager – the amazing Liz Pemberton – to share her latest early years resources for educators to foster inclusive and equitable environments for all children. Over to Liz…
In collaboration with SEEN, an initiative from the children’s charity Barnardo’s, I had the privilege of co-producing an animated resource aimed at Early Years Educators. SEEN’s mission is profoundly inspiring:
“to create systemic change by challenging structural inequalities that impede opportunities for a fair and equitable future for children and young people of African, Asian, and Caribbean heritage to fulfil their full potential.”
As an advocate for anti-racist practices, I developed a pedagogy designed for Early Years Educators to further deepen their knowledge and application of anti-racist practices. This pedagogy, known as the 4E’s of Anti-Racist Practice, comprises four core tenets: Embrace, Embed, Ensure, and Extend. These principles serve as a foundation for educators to foster inclusive and equitable environments for all children centring race, ethnicity and culture.
Recognising the need for an engaging and accessible medium to disseminate this valuable information, Barnardo’s were aware of my work in the early years sector and approached me to work on creating some sort of resource for educators. After some discussion, we decided on a short animation. This animation, we believed, would be the most effective way to reach a diverse audience of Early Years Educators, including childminders, practitioners in PVI (Private, Voluntary, and Independent) settings, and students studying Early Childhood Development.
The talented animator, Seni Soetan from Shenny Animation Studio, brought our vision to life with creativity and precision and at the end of 2024 we had a fantastic in-person launch at the Everyman Cinema in Birmingham’s Mailbox with a specially invited audience, featuring brilliant presentations and talks from Dr Stella Louis, Hannah Betteridge, Rachna Joshi, Warda Farah, Kerry Murphy and hosted by the Systems Change Manager of SEEN, Delano Gournet-Moore. The animation encapsulates the essence of the 4E’s of Anti-Racist Practice, making it a vital resource for educators committed to promoting racial equity in Early Years settings.
The first tenet, Embrace, encourages educators to recognize and value the diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences of all children. By fostering an environment of acceptance and respect, educators can help children feel seen, heard, and valued.
The second tenet, Embed, focuses on integrating anti-racist principles into the daily practices and routines of Early Years settings. This includes the curriculum, teaching materials, and classroom interactions. By embedding these principles, educators can create a consistent and inclusive learning environment.
The third tenet, Ensure, involves actively ensuring that all policies, procedures, and practices within Early Years settings promote equity and fairness. This may include reviewing and revising existing policies to address any biases and implementing new policies that support anti-racist practices.
The fourth and final tenet, Extend, encourages educators to extend their anti-racist practices beyond the early years space. This involves engaging with families, communities, and other stakeholders to promote a culture of inclusivity and equity. By extending these practices, educators can help create a broader impact and contribute to systemic change.
The animated resource has received positive feedback from Early Years Educators who have found it to be an invaluable tool in their professional development. It has helped them to better understand the importance of anti-racist practices and alongside my training sessions provided practical guidance on how to implement these principles in their settings.
In conclusion, the collaboration with SEEN, Barnardo’s on this animated resource has been a rewarding experience. It has highlighted the importance of innovative approaches to professional development and the power of animation as an educational tool. By embracing, embedding, ensuring, and extending anti-racist practices, Early Years Educators can make a significant difference in the lives of children and contribute to a fair and equitable future for all.
You can watch and share the animation:
About the author
Liz Pemberton (she/her) is the Director of The Black Nursery Manager Ltd, a training and consultancy company specialising in anti-racist practice in Early Years education. With over 20 years in the sector, she has worked as a secondary school teacher, public speaker, and nursery manager. She holds an MA in Early Childhood Studies and has delivered training across the UK, including Scotland and Wales, as well as internationally in Geneva, Hong Kong, and the U.S.A. In 2024 Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage recognised her as 1 of 100 Black Women Who Have Made a Mark, the Black Cultural Archives acknowledged her as one of their 2022 40×40 Future Leaders and she was nominated as a finalist for trainer of the year for the 2022 Nursery World Awards.