This guide supports the development of an equalities policy. It ensures that learner participation is central to the process. This aligns with United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

A short animation of some of the learners involved in the pilot talking about the importance of this work. It also includes a brief introduction to Equalities and Intersectionality, but we have linked to other resources where you can learn about these themes in more detail.

The roadmap outlines the different stages of developing an equalities policy. This includes case studies and resources to support this process in your own setting.

The roadmap is circular to capture the cyclical and ongoing nature of equalities work and policy review and development. Policies and interventions should be reviewed and evaluated regularly to shape future actions.

Learners from Cawdor Primary and Knightsridge Primary were asked why they felt equalities work was important. [Link to animation to follow]

With equalities work, it is necessary to be intersectional in definition and approach. Stating that all learners already have access to the same equal opportunities is not enough. While all learners can access these opportunities, We must recognise the social constructs and structural barriers that prevent some learners from doing so accessing those “equal opportunities,” as has been highlighted in Scotland’s National Discussion. Intersectionality is “a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects.” (Kimberlé Crenshaw on Intersectionality, More than Two Decades Later; 2017).

For example, many girls do may aspire to study engineering, but we still see low numbers of girls choosing this pathway. This is may be due to:
• the impact of stereotypes and bias on confidence
• unequal societal expectations on career pathways. Societal expectations regarding the pathways that learners of different genders should choose may also contribute to this. Furthermore,
the lack of role models linked to low retention of girls and women within this predominantly male dominated pathways, where there might be discrimination, lack of provision for those in care roles and a gender pay gap. is often low. This may be due to factors such as discrimination, lack of provision for those in care roles and the gender pay gap.

This example above shows the structural barriers for girls who might have “equal access” to engineering. These barriers are influenced by other parts of girls’ identities and experiences. children and young people of different genders. However, we need to consider which children of different genders are most impacted. For example, where a white girl might experience sexism and sexual harassment in predominantly male dominated spaces, a black girl may experience an increased risk of these issues in addition to racism and racial discrimination. Transgender and non-binary learners are also at increased risk of discrimination and harm, as well as disabled learners, lesbian, gay and bisexual learners, care experienced learners and, learners impacted by poverty. An intersectional lens encourages us to consider the diversity that exists within groups who share characteristics, in order to address these inequalities.

For more learning around these themes you can explore the Rights and Equalities section of the Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities professional learning framework.