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Building Anti-Racist Foundations - Liz Pemberton and Barnardo's SEEN

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How EY settings should respond to Racist Incidents 

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How EY settings should respond to Racist Incidents 

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How do EY settings respond to Racist Incidents Handout

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Journal of Childhood, Education & Society

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Journal of Childhood, Education & Society

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View of Vol. 6 No. 3 (2025): Journal of Childhood, Education & Society

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Return to Article Details Vol. 6 No. 3 (2025): Journal of Childhood, Education & Society

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Inclusion - 'Wakanda forever!' - Nursery World

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Inclusion - 'Wakanda forever!' - Nursery World

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We know that children enter early years settings with a rich and individual catalogue of experiences that have all contributed to their own personal narratives, and these experiences evolve as the children grow and develop. This is why A Unique Child is one of the four overarching principles in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Children's uniqueness is often exemplified in their storytelling, and showing a genuine interest in their stories is crucial in giving them a sense of who they are. However, children's sense of identity becomes all the more secure when we, as practitioners, respond to their stories in a meaningful way, by building their interests into our planning and giving children the space and time to explore them - as the following example shows.

CASE STUDY
Me: (Bouncing into my pre-school room, gesticulating and smiling) 'Good morning everybody!'

Children:(In chorus) 'Good morning Liz!' (Each child runs towards me grabbing on to various limbs, laughing.)

T'ziyah: 'Liz! Liz! You know my nan came on Saturday. I was at her house yeah, and she made nice soup but I didn't eat it all it was sooo hot but then yeah, my mum and dad let me watch a film on the weekend Liz. I seen theBlack Panther, did you see that movie? He was soooo strong, he was black and I'm black too, but I've got shaved hair from the barbers, I saw the barber on Saturday! Then I got the mask from Asda and daddy says I can't bring it to nursery because he says(T'ziyah pauses for air) and then he said...(T'ziyah re-enacts a fight scene, swiftly positioning his body into a stance that tells me he is ready for war). I LOVED it Liz, but dya know what his name is T'Challa and my name is T'ziyah and we've nearly got the same name but the movie was for boys not girls!'

Mariyah: 'Yes, it is for girls! My mommy says girls can watch it too!'

A UNIQUE CHILD
This interaction exemplifies so much about the nature of children's storytelling, and I am sure that you will have had similar experiences of an excited three-year-old coming to you on a Monday morning to tell you about their eventful weekend. What is important is our responses to children's stories.

My response to T'ziyah would inform him directly about how he builds a secure sense of identity as 'a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured' (Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage).

Many thoughts and questions can spring to mind when children seek your affirmation as they exchange personal narratives, and in this instance I wondered:

Do I affirm that he is in fact black? Is it necessary?

How do I respond to this appropriately, so that I support his confidence?

I am familiar with the film and I am aware that our shared experience can enable me to build on the learning opportunity.

Why did T'ziyah say it is a film for boys? Is he beginning to internalise some sexist thoughts which need to be effectively challenged?

The strength and racial identity of T'Challa, the Black Panther, had led T'ziyah to conclude that he too was powerful. In that short, excited burst of words, with great uses of adjectives and expression, clear intonation and pauses, he had told me about his family, his culture, who and what are important to him and his passion for role play. So, what do I do with all of this information?

POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
At that point, I had known T'ziyah for eight months and knew that I was one of his trusted key workers. Over time our relationship had allowed him to share, and he had learnt 'to be strong and independent through [our] positive relationships' (Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage). This will be the case for the children you work with too.

T'ziyah's comment that Black Panther was a 'boys-only' film provided me with the opportunity to foster a positive relationship across the gender divide and challenge his emerging views on girls. We must never forget how influential our perspectives are when helping children to make sense of their world, and it is key that we incorporate these into how we plan activities and extend learning opportunities.

T'ziyah's exchange presented the perfect opportunity to challenge sexist attitudes through role play. So, we re-enacted a scene from the film, with each of the boys and girls choosing the character they wanted to be irrespective of gender or race - a South Asian girl or black boy could be Black Panther if they wanted. T'ziyah enjoyed repeating the key phrase from the film, 'Wakanda forever!'.

ENABLING ENVIRONMENTS
My response to T'ziyah's story raises questions about diversity and inclusion, and the enabling environments we create for the young children in our care. 'Inclusion' is about more than providing a diverse range of books and dolls. We have to move past resource tick boxes and tokenistic gestures which pay lip service to 'diversity and inclusion' with regards to children's lives.

If we, as a sector, are not willing to challenge the dominant racist, sexist and ableist structures in society, because we are too cautious or afraid to enter into uncomfortable conversations about diversity, then early years practice and provision will remain the same - as will society. Always remember that early years provision is a microcosm of the wider systemic discrimination and injustices that we are experiencing right now in the world.

Acknowledging the enormous diversity within our society is a tiny step in the right direction. Far more important, however, is working meaningfully and collaboratively with families to recognise and incorporate the different realities for their children that take place by fostering truly 'enabling environments' within the setting.

It is about talking explicitly about race and acknowledging that T'ziyah has seen himself represented in a film that centres on black superheroes, rather than brushing aside his experience because you don't know how to talk about race.

Having a strong partnership with parents and carers means using home time as an opportunity to discuss T'ziyah's day with his mum or dad. Importantly, the conversation should be in front of T'ziyah to further demonstrate to him how important he is and how his family is valued.

Additionally, responding to children's stories and interests can enable us to create 'enabling environments' that deliver the cross-curricular learning that we all seek for the children in our care.

Through our Black Panther role play, T'ziyah was able to develop, for example, his communication, social and gross motor skills (Prime areas), as well as his spatial awareness (Mathematics). It also allowed for active learning, critical thinking and exploratory play (Characteristics of Effective Learning).

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
I drew on my observations of the Black Panther role play and T'ziyah's input to plan 'next steps' in his learning. As well as avoiding an adult-led approach, T'ziyah's involvement also gave me a clearer understanding of his interests.

My aim was to build on the role play to extend his creativity and encourage him to tell more stories about this place that he had seen in the film. I wondered:

Can this imaginary place be recreated in the local community?

Could we visit the local reservoir, which is also a beautiful outdoor location with logs to jump off and vast green to run through?

Maybe he can bring his dressing-up clothes from home and wear these as he runs round the reservoir?

Challenges and dilemmas
What should we do if we cannot relate to what our children share with us? How do we ensure a reaction that still supports and values our children and makes them feel unique and valued?

Too often we worry about not getting it right, but this is counterproductive. We encourage our children to take risks and get things wrong, and we must be prepared to do the same.

If we do not have the right language to use when entering territory that feels alien to us, then we mustn't use this as a reason to not say or do anything at all.

Parents are the best people to ask about their children. We must maintain professional boundaries but also build trust, so that we can ask questions that can inform us about the child.

Use staff meetings to share best practice.

Develop your own CPD by engaging in learning that takes place outside of the traditional routes of reading and writing reflective journals. Although these things are key, widen your pool of knowledge by attending webinars on topics that you feel unsure about, for example, anti-racist practice. Webinars are good spaces to learn and reflect as they do not require you to be sat in a room full of strangers, as may be the case in traditional face-to-face training situations, and they also allow you to absorb the information in the comfort of your own home.

MORE INFORMATION
You can attend any of Liz's specialist 'Anti-racism in the early years' webinars by finding her on social media:
Liz Pemberton MA, QTS is an early years trainer and consultant and former nursery manager.

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Inclusion - 'Wakanda forever!' - Nursery World

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One boy's interest in the Black Panther film shows how stories can help build a secure sense of identity, says Liz Pemberton

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Anti-Racist Leadership: Part 1 - Think again - Nursery World

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Anti-Racist Leadership: Part 1 - Think again - Nursery World

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Anti-Racist Leadership: Part 1 - Think again - Nursery World

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In the first part of a new series, Liz Pemberton sets out how early years leaders can instil anti-racist practice

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Anti-Racist Leadership: part 2 - Looking inward - Nursery World

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Anti-Racist Leadership: part 2 - Looking inward - Nursery World

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Anti-Racist Leadership: part 2 - Looking inward - Nursery World

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When it comes to racism, Liz Pemberton questions how leaders can start conversations around the subject

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Anti-racist leadership: part 3 - What we say - Nursery World

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Anti-racist leadership: part 3 - What we say - Nursery World

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Anti-racist leadership: part 3 - What we say - Nursery World

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Continuing her series on anti-racist leadership, this month, Liz Pemberton focuses on language

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Anti-Racist Leadership: Part 4 - Do I belong? - Nursery World

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Anti-Racist Leadership: Part 4 - Do I belong? - Nursery World

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Anti-Racist Leadership: Part 4 - Do I belong? - Nursery World

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Is there a culture of anti-racism in your nursery setting? Liz Pemberton considers how managers can encourage a sense of belonging.

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Liz talks cultural competence and the for ’E’s of anti-racism | Famly

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Liz talks cultural competence and the for ’E’s of anti-racism | Famly

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Liz talks cultural competence and the for ’E’s of anti-racism | Famly

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Liz Pemberton, The Black Nursery Manager, joins Matt and Julia on this week’s Tiny Chair Podcast to talk about anti-racist practice in the Early Years.

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Professional Love and Belonging: Anti-Racist Practice with Liz Pemberton, Mind the Gap Ep.90 (S5,E6)

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Professional Love and Belonging: Anti-Racist Practice with Liz Pemberton, Mind the Gap Ep.90 (S5,E6)

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Professional Love and Belonging: Anti-Racist Practice with Liz Pemberton, Mind the Gap Ep.90 (S5,E6)

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The podcast takeover with Liz Pemberton in conversation with Jane Lane | Early Years Conversations

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The podcast takeover with Liz Pemberton in conversation with Jane Lane | Early Years Conversations

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The podcast takeover with Liz Pemberton in conversation with Jane Lane | Early Years Conversations

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We are delighted to share our first podcast takeover with Liz Pemberton The Black Nursery Manager as she chats with Jane Lane, author of Young Children and Racial Justice who has a career spanning many decades as an advocate for racial equality.

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Need help choosing books for your baby or toddler? Early years expert Liz Pemberton’s tried and trusted tips will guide every step of the way. Read our blog.

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Banias is an 8-year-old kid living in Gaza. And she has a story to tell — many stories, in fact.

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Introducing: Nice White Parents (Published 2020)

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A new five-part series about building a better school system, and what gets in the way. New episodes of “Nice White Parents” are available here, brought to you by Serial Productions and The New York Times.

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A Timeline of Anti-Racism in Early Years Education (England)

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A Timeline of Anti-Racism in Early Years Education (England)

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A Timeline of Anti-Racism in Early Years Education (England)

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Whiteness: WTF? White Privilege and the Invisible Race

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The Kids Bond Over Making Fruit Salad | The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds 

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The Kids Bond Over Making Fruit Salad | The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds 

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The Kids Bond Over Making Fruit Salad | The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds | Tuesday 15th November | 8pm

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A HISTORIC Look At Marcus Garvey Nursery 1980's England

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A HISTORIC Look At Marcus Garvey Nursery 1980's England

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A HISTORIC Look At Marcus Garvey Nursery 1980's England #Handsworth #Birmingham #Documentary

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Our Radical Safeguarding workbook is designed for practitioners working with children and young people, particularly in school contexts, who might be wondering how to start doing things differently when it comes to safeguarding.

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Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel

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Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel report about safeguarding children from Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage backgrounds.

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Dr. Iheoma Iruka | Early Childhood, Curriculum, & Equity | Learning Can’t Wait

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Dr. Iheoma Iruka | Early Childhood, Curriculum, & Equity | Learning Can’t Wait

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Dr. Iheoma Iruka | Early Childhood, Curriculum, & Equity | Learning Can’t Wait

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Dr. Iheoma Iruka discusses her work with the National Academies developing a new vision for pre-K curriculum that better serves all children, especially those historically underserved, including Black and Latino children, multilingual learners, children with disabilities, and those living in poverty. The interview highlights the importance of rejecting false dichotomies in early childhood education by integrating play with academics, supporting teachers with proper resources, and creating curriculum that reflects the diversity of children’s experiences and backgrounds.

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for a little loved one

Gift Set

SHOP NOW

The Christmas Campaign

Christmas is the season of happiness, togetherness and joy, many of us spend it with our loved ones, exchanging not only physical gifts. We create unforgettable memories through an interchange of intimate presence of laughter, joy, food, hugs and so much more.

As an adult, we can appreciate this but even in it's simplicity nothing makes us feel more content than the satisfaction and excitement when children receive the perfect gift. I create and design products that are not just an investment into a child's Christmas smile but that stays there throughout their early years.

So whether it's the smile when they are unwrapping their presents, the smile from the child who reached a new milestone or the smile from the child who finally can see themselves and feel included - I am happy to know that Little Omo has the right gift choice to invest into little big smiles forever.

Lots of love,
Desriee xo

Our Story

Little Omo is an inclusive award-winning brand create by first-time mother Desriee (Founder & CEO) with the intention of providing educational materials and toys for children, that include and teach them about diverse cultural representation. It was a priority for Desriee when she fell pregnant with her son Isaiah to create these products, as there were very few options available in the UK and wanted products that represented her and were able to teach and celebrate diversity in a fun way for children.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn More

choosing a selection results in a full page refresh

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Little Omo | Inclusive Educational Brand for Children

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for a little loved one SHOP NOW The Christmas Campaign Christmas is the season of happiness, togetherness and joy, many of us spend it with our loved ones, exchanging not only physical gifts. We create unforgettable memories through an interchange of intimate presence of laughter, joy, food, hugs and so much more.

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Explore Afrori Books, the UK’s largest bookstore specialising in books by Black authors. Discover diverse stories, genres, and community-focused events.

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Explore Bibinee Dolls for diverse dolls and educational tools that promote inclusion, creativity, cultural understanding for kids

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Free teaching resources for key stage one students who are studying Laura Henry-Allain MBE’s My Skin, Your Skin.

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The Lunar New Year school resources (EYFS-KS5) - besea.n

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The Lunar New Year school resources (EYFS-KS5) - besea.n

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The packs are free to download, however, we encourage a donation towards our non-profit organisation in order to continue our work advocating for East and South East Asian communities, including the creation of further educational resources.

If you or educators you know use these resources, please tag us on social media and use the hashtag #beseanLNY2023! Showcasing your use of the resources will spark inspiration in other educators to teach students about Lunar New Year.

If you know of any schools or settings that would benefit from using our Lunar New Year resources, please feel free touse this email template. This will support us and enable our work to reach more young people.

The resources are a work in progress and as a small team of volunteers, we try our best to be as representative as possible but cannot encompass all experiences in-depth. This resource is designed to be a springboard to further learning and we encourage all practitioners to engage in their own research.

We welcome comments and suggestions, please use this feedback form.

Enjoy our resources!

Lunar New Year school resources - Google Drive folder

Please read this introductory document before using the resources - it contains important safeguarding notes as well as explaining how to use the pack.

We recommend that, where possible, the documents be used as Google Docs or Google Slides, to ensure you are using the most up-to-date version. This is because we will be making tweaks to the content of the resources.

Click on a folder below to open it up in Google Drive. Alternatively, click here to open the folder up in a new window.

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The Lunar New Year school resources (EYFS-KS5) - besea.n

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Happy Lunar New Year! We at besea.n (Britain's East and South East Asian Network) love celebrating Lunar New Year! And what better way, than to spread the joy of a happy new year than free gifts!

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School Assembly Pack - South Asian Heritage Trust

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School Assembly Pack - South Asian Heritage Trust

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School Assembly Pack - South Asian Heritage Trust

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An inspiring, ready-to-use school assembly pack to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month 2025. Includes a full script, slide deck, and guidance to explore the theme Roots to Routes with pupils of all ages.

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Teaching Resources - Friends, Families and Travellers

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Teaching Resources - Friends, Families and Travellers

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This colourful book can help young readers from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community written and produced by Maxine Lambert.
Read the digital book. The Pavee and the Buffer Girl by Siobhan Dowd
This book tells the story of Jim, a young Traveller boy, his experiences at the Buffer school (Buffer is what Travellers call non-Travellers) and developing new friendships.
Find out more and purchase the book. Books by Richard O'Neill
Author and playwright, Richard O'Neill has written a serious of illustrated books with fantastic representation of Gypsy and Traveller characters. Look out for Polonius and The Pit Pony, Yokki and The Porno Gry, The Lost Homework, and Ossiri and The Bala Mengro.
Purchase books by Richard O'Neill. The Show Must Go On
Purchase this book to celebrate 'World Funfair Month 2021'. Follow Mary Ann and her travelling Showmen family as they defend their yard from developers. The generations work together to help everyone understand that Grandad Henry is right: 'not all treasure glistens'.

Purchase the book.
Wee Bessie by David Pullar
Wee Bessie is Inspired by the childhood of Scottish Traveller Betsy Whyte one of Scotland's most celebrated storytellers.
Find out more on Good Reads. Books by Janna Elliot
Settela Steinbach was a Dutch Sinti girl, she was murdered along with other members of her family in Auschwitz. Janna Eliot translator of the original biography, created the novel 'Settela's Last Road' for younger readers.
See all of Janna's books on Good Reads. Why the Moon Travels by Oein DeBhairduin
Why the moon travels is a haunting collection of twenty tales rooted in the oral tradition of the Irish Traveller community.
Find out more about the book. Can't lose Cant
A book of Cant, the Old Language of Irish Travellers, by Children in Co Kildare Ireland.
Buy the book. Books by Robert Dawson
Robert Dawson has a wide selection of books and activity booklets on his website, including 'Leaves in the Holocaust', a novel about the persecution of Roma and Sinti people in World War Two.
View the Robert Dawson website. Fairground Art: The art forms of Travelling Fairs, Carousels and Carnival Midways by Geoff Weedon and Richard Ward
The authors devoted years of research to photographing and cataloguing the work of fairground artists as well as investigating the histories of the craftsmen and their creations.
Find the book. they lit fires: lenti hatch o yog Raine Geoghegan
Raine Geoghegan presents a selection of timeless and culturally rich songs and monologues based upon her Romani Roots.
Purchase the book.
Books by Maggie Smith-Bendell

Maggie's books, including 'Rabbit Stew and a Penny or Two' recount the 'old ways' and Romani Gypsy life and culture at the dawn of the 21st Century.
Find out more on Good Reads. Books by Eva Petulengro
Eva Petulengro is a Romani author who spent her childhood in a caravan before settling in Brighton. Eva's books 'The Girl in the Painted Caravan' and 'Caravans and Wedding Bans', reflect on Eva's life on the road.
Find out more. The Showmen's War by Michael Smith, Stephen Smith and Kevin Scrivens
This book was produced to accompany the Exhibition held at the Fairground Heritage Centre in 2018 to commemorate the part played in the Great War by the Travelling Showmen of Great Britain.
Find the book. Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant
In the aftermath of World War One, Ben, Clara and Lotti try to rebuild their lives, As they make their way on an epic journey, some of which on a narrowboat, they search for loved ones and a place to call home.
Books by Jess Smith
Jess Smith comes from a long line of Travelling people and writes about her early years on the road in Scotland with her family.

View Jess' website.
The Stopping Places by Damian Le Bas
In this critically acclaimed book, Damian seeks to better understand his heritage by setting out on a journey to discover the stopping places - the old encampment sites known only to Travellers.

Find out more about the book.
Gypsy Girl by Rosie McKinley
Rosie McKinley is an Irish Traveller, she grew up on the road moving around England and Ireland. Read her story of roaming fields and meadows with her siblings.

Find out more about the book.
Muddy Waters by DH Clacher
A series of fun, vibrant and colourful books sharing Muddy's adventures on the UK Waterways.
Find out more about the books. Books by Betsy Whyte
The Yellow on the Broom and Red Rowans and Wil Honey cover Betsy's childhood as a Gypsy Traveller in 1920s and 1930s Scotland, as well as traditional workmanship from hawking to, fruit and potato picking until the Second World War.
Find out more about the books. Smoke in the Lanes by Dominic Reeve
The author's account of living the Gypsy life on the road in the 1950s.
Find out more about the book. Gypsy Princess by Violet Cannon
The story of Violet's parents and her childhood.
Find our more about the book.

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Teaching Resources - Friends, Families and Travellers

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Many Gypsy, Roma and Traveller young people feel that their culture and way of life is not recognised or affirmed within the education system. We have created this page to support teachers and other staff in ... Teaching Resources Read More "

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Huff Post article: Your Child Was Called A Racist Slur. Here’s How To Talk To Them About It

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Huff Post article: Your Child Was Called A Racist Slur. Here’s How To Talk To Them About It

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Your Child Was Called A Racist Slur. Here’s How To Talk To Them About It

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Record numbers of children were sent home from school last year because of racist behaviour, new figures reveal.

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Huff Post article: Racism Is Happening Among Nursery Age Kids. We Cannot Ignore It

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Huff Post article: Racism Is Happening Among Nursery Age Kids. We Cannot Ignore It

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Racism Is Happening Among Nursery Age Kids. We Cannot Ignore It

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Podcast Episode · The Quiet Revolution · S1 E5 · 39min