A recent letter (Nursery World, 23 June) told of the case of a parent objecting to a male childcarer changing their child's nappy for cultural reasons, rather than child protection concerns. How, asked the nursery owner, could the setting balance respect for the parent's wishes, in terms of supporting cultural diversity, with respect for the rights of the staff member, in terms of ensuring equality?
This incident reveals the need for settings to have a clear policy on equality that spells out a setting's practice in terms of its principles and obligations under the law.1 The policy would include, for example, the agreed roles of male staff. With such a policy in place, parents and potential staff can be clear about how the setting operates before accepting a place or a job. It also avoids uncomfortable situations or possible litigation.
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