Review of Strategies to Address Gender Inequalities in Scottish ...

4.3 Self-concept and esteemA number of initiatives designed to tackle self concept and break down genderstereotypes, in parents as well as children, were identified in the pre-5 sector. Mostinvolved parents and were intended to tackle, gently, gender stereotypes within thecommunity. One local authority and one of its nurseries were included in the case studyphase.i. BackgroundOne city, with a history of deprivation and relative poverty concentrated in housingschemes and estates, had developed a general inclusion strategy which includedinitiatives to address parenting skills. Initially aimed at young parents and those living indeprived areas, the parenting initiative had progressively focused on the role of fathers.The key aims were to develop parenting skills and improve parent-child relationships,with issues of self esteem and confidence important, particularly regarding men. Thisprogramme, the Parents Services Initiative (PSI), is not linked directly to the schoolsystem, but operates on Saturday mornings and early evenings and tries to involveparents and pre-school children working on shared activities. It began in one, particularlydeprived, estate and was then extended city-wide.One nursery school within the same local authority was visited. In addition toinvolvement in the PSI, staff had developed a number of small strategies intended to openup choices and experiences to the pupils, particularly boys. It was in a council housingestate with high unemployment rates amongst fathers and a degree of deprivation.ii. Initial impetus and fundingWith a history of deprivation and disadvantage, the city established an Early Years andChild Care Team (EYCCT) to address aspects of the inclusion agenda and set up the PSIin 2000. The Initiative involves the education and social work services as well as thevoluntary and private sectors. There is a partnership steering group, chaired by theDirector of Education and with representation from all of the partners. TwoDevelopment Workers have been seconded from their posts in school and social work tosupport the Initiative. They plan, consult, generate ideas and carry plans through, oftenrunning the sessions and workshops themselves. They have begun to take on an advisoryrole, helping others to develop similar programmes of their own. It is funded by the city.While schools and nurseries made attempts to involve fathers in events such as inductiondays, few got involved. This was causing concern. At the same time, a male social workstudent was placed with the team and he was interested in working with the fathers inways that would support the development of parent-child relationships.The headteacher in the nursery school was aware of the PSI but described the initiativesthat she had taken within the school as being triggered by her observations of the childrenand how they played and inter-related. She noticed that they tended to play alongtraditional lines with, for example, girls rarely choosing to play with the constructiontoys. In role play and dressing up, they tended to conform to stereotypical heroes androle models. She had been further prompted to consider gender differences after sheattended a national seminar where the speaker had ‘touched on gender’, raising issuessuch as right and left side brain dominance.This had made her, and subsequently the rest of the staff in the nursery, more consciousof the criteria used in selecting and buying resources. They avoided buying toys andother resources which could be categorised as ‘women’s work’, e.g. ironing boards, andtried to be ‘gender neutral’ in their selections.______________________________________________________________________________________Review of Strategies to 27 University of StrathclydeAddress Gender Inequalitiesand University of Glasgow