Knowsley Local Authority Early Years Service has run a series of very successful equality, diversity, and inclusion conferences for practitioners from a wide range of settings, which have been very well received. Those attending reported that their knowledge and understanding around equality, diversity and inclusion had increased by the end of the conference.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is of vital importance when working with children and young people. It was recognised that as a service, opportunities for accessing training or information have been limited and often via self-paced electronic packages.
To address this, planning commenced for virtual conferences with invites sent to a range of guest speakers to share their knowledge and experiences. To date this has resulted in the Knowsley Early Years Service running four equality and diversity conferences over the past four years with audiences from across the sector including PVIs, Schools and Children’s Centres.
The topics covered during the conferences have varied across the spectrum of EDI and have included:
- Why is anti-racist practice important in the Early Years?
- Nurturing through a diverse lens (LGBTQ+)
- Understanding autism
- Lived experiences of a trans man
- No Outsiders
- Creating Trans Inclusive schools
The conferences have developed over time to include opportunities for engagement such as Q&A sections with the guest speakers and breakout rooms. All attendees across the four conferences have recorded an increase in knowledge as a result of attending and all rated either excellent or very good.
At the conference in October 2024, attendees were asked “What are you taking away from today's conference?” and responses included:
- A shift in mindset and the anticipation of starting the change in my school.
- There has been a lot to think about and what it all means. I really like the No Outsiders approach to teaching children about it all.
- The important role we play in young people's lives. How we can support them and value them. We need to share and embrace our differences. It is vital that all staff working with children/young people understand equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- The importance of belonging for our children. Being represented in our settings and being able to share their individuality with others. Very important and powerful messages to share with staff.
- Implementing clearer guidelines from Nursery regarding challenge and redirection.
- Reflecting as a whole staff team regarding our practice.
- A broader understanding of the challenges that people helping to shape this field have faced on their journey to this point. A more challenge focused mentality towards inclusion and a better understanding of the barriers/justifications made in order to maintain a 'norm' or because of the fear of change/challenge.
To support further embedding of the knowledge gained, the service is in the process of launching an EDI toolkit across all PVIs in Knowsley. This will enable settings to reflect on their current practice and identify their areas to develop. The toolkit is supported with access to whole team training and a baseline with follow up re-assessment to evidence impact.
The fourth conference was held in March 2025 and included:
- Understanding and overcoming unconscious bias in our practice.
- The roles of Gender and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Practice in the Early Years.
- Let’s talk about race.
The aim was to start conversations, provide the knowledge needed, embed learning as part of everyday practice and to support all children to have equal opportunities to achieve their potential and to support diversity and celebrate difference.
The word cloud below captures the responses of what people took away from the conference:
Attendees were asked to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 their knowledge and understanding around EDI before the session and the average score was 6.47. The same question was posed at the end of conference, and the average score had raised to 8.58.
EDI knowledge and understanding before the conference
EDI knowledge and understanding after the conference
July 2025