Black Leaders in the Early Years
This October, Yvette, our founder and CEO, shares her thoughts on Black History Month, diversity in the Early Years and Black leadership in business and education.
How has your Jamaican heritage shaped your view of education, community and what children deserve?
Generally, immigrant parents place a high value on education. They see it as a route to success and opportunity, and my parents were no different. They worked hard to give their children better opportunities, and those are values I’ve carried with me throughout my life.
I became a teacher because I wanted to make a difference through education. I spent most of my teaching career in South London schools, where I saw first hand the importance of community, particularly when families feel the education system isn’t meeting their children’s needs.
That’s how African Caribbean supplementary schools came about. Communities took it on themselves to provide additional educational support for their children. I taught in these schools at weekends alongside my main teaching job, and it was something I believed in strongly.
After having my own children, my passion developed towards the early years because that’s where it all begins. Giving children strong foundations in their earliest years can make such a difference to their future learning, confidence and opportunities in life.
"I want a sector where people from all backgrounds can see a future for themselves, not just as practitioners but as leaders and business owners."
How do you see diversity in the early years workforce, and what would you like to change?
I think we’ve made progress, but we still have a long way to go. There are certainly more Black and Brown people working in early years than there used to be, which is encouraging. However, I’d particularly like to see more people from diverse communities in leadership positions, as managers, business owners and decision makers.
One of the challenges is how the early years workforce is valued. Although its professional status has improved over the years, this hasn’t really been reflected in pay or recognition. We’re still treated as the poor relation of the education sector! Yet we know just how important those early years are to children’s development.
That lack of recognition doesn’t help attract a more diverse workforce, including men.
Do you think the opportunities are there for people of all backgrounds to progress their careers?
Early childhood education now offers study routes right up to doctorate level, which is a welcome development. But there’s still too little for people who want to keep working directly with children while building their careers and professional status.
This is especially true for childminders, whose home-based work can leave them overlooked. Unless they run larger settings and employ staff, clear routes for progression are rare.
I want a sector where people from all backgrounds can see a future for themselves, not just as practitioners but as leaders and business owners. That’s what we’re working towards at @Home Childcare, supporting people, particularly women from underrepresented communities, to set up and grow their own childcare businesses.
What does Black History Month mean to you, and how should it be marked in education and training?
In my opinion, Black History shouldn’t be confined to October. It should be part of what we learn and teach throughout the year. However, I do see Black History Month as an important opportunity to celebrate, remember and educate. In some less diverse parts of the country, it may be one of the few opportunities children and adults have to explore Black history and culture.
I’d really like to see us decolonise education and teach a fuller, more honest picture of history. That means recognising the achievements and contributions of Black people,while also confronting the realities of Empire, imperialism and colonialism, and understanding how their legacies continue to shape the world we live in today.
In early years, this can begin in simple, age-appropriate ways through music, food, stories and learning about different countries and cultures.
But inclusion, in the true sense of the word, has to be at the heart of everything we do. It needs to be reflected in everyday teaching, in the books children read, the toys they play with and the practical resources that represent different cultures and ways of life. It’s not just about being represented or accepted, but about creating environments where everyone has that same sense of belonging and ease.
What advice would you give a young Black person who wants to start a business or lead in education?
My first piece of advice would be to identify a genuine need or problem to solve. That’s how my own business journey began. I recognised a need for flexible childcare and wanted to do something about it.
Second is to do your homework. Research your market, understand your potential customers and put together a business plan. And don’t just write it and put it away! Use it as your handbook, reviewing and adapting it as your business develops.
I’d also encourage people to explore the support that’s available. There are many organisations and start up programmes offering advice, mentoring and sometimes funding, such as The King’s Trust.
Final thoughts...
Something else that’s important to me is representation. Through @Home Childcare and our role as an Ofsted registered childminder agency, one of my goals is to empower others, particularly women of colour, to set up their own childcare businesses and serve their local communities.
I recognise that seeing a woman leading a company like @Home Childcare can be encouraging and motivating to others. If my journey helps someone believe they can do something similar, that’s wonderful.
