An organisation campaigning to protect the rights of children under five is inviting people to join an early years protest outside Downing Street this June.
Early Years Equality, whose members are mainly nurseries owners and childminders along with others working in the early years sector - will be holding the protest at 1pm, 24 June at the gates of Downing Street. Its aim is to ‘unite the sector, raise the value placed on early childhood, and fight for children's right to quality early childhood experiences provided by well-paid valued professionals’, the organisation said.
Protestors are encouraged to make signs/banners with messages such as 'Fund Children's Futures Fairly', 'The Early Years: Undervalued, Underfunded and Underpaid', and 'Rights for under 5's'. They can also talk to children about ‘what makes them feel happy or sage’, and write these on ribbons to hand on the group’s “Rights on Ribbons” installation, or write their own thoughts on ribbons - or thoughts from other adults - about what children deserve. Protestors are asked to use ribbons approximately 2-3cm wide and about 30-40cm long, and any colour that can be written on.
People can also come up with their own banners. ‘The only thing we would ask is not to use the word 'childcare' unless you are being derogatory - we very firmly feel that the term contributes to the lack of value placed on our role,’ the organisation said.
