Table Of Contenti
NPFS wholeheartedly recommend the work of Susie and Barbara. Whether you are an early
years parent/carer, practitioner or allied professional – they provide an incredible insight into
how gender stereotypes can limit children and how we can reduce them, making positive
changes to the lives and experiences of our children and young people.
Margaret Wilson, Chair, The National Parent Forum of Scotland
respect me, Scotland’s Anti-Bullying Service sees gender stereotyping as a critical factor
in many relationship, bullying and discrimination situations. This book delivers an invalu-
able resource for people who care for young children to understand why harmful attitudes
towards gender stereotypes and inequalities, often emerging in the early years, can have
lifelong impacts if left unchallenged.
Lorraine Glass, Policy and Improvement Manager, respectme
As Scotland gradually wakes up to the long-term social significance of early childhood care
and education, this comprehensive and highly accessible guide to tackling gender stereo-
types couldn’t be more timely. Essential reading for all early years educators.
Sue Palmer, Chair, Upstart Scotland
Preventing violence against women and girls should start in the early years. Susie and
Barbara’s work helps practitioners understand the links between VAWG and the gender
stereotypes that children are directed towards from an early age; and the significant part
they can play in preventing it.
Davy Thompson, Campaign Director, White Ribbon Scotland
After being part of the documentary No More Boys and Girls I witnessed first-hand the impact
that gender stereotypes have on our children. Despite a rise in awareness there is still much
work to be done and this book is paramount to helping educators make a difference to our
children at an early stage – in my experience the earlier we can teach our children about
spotting and dealing with stereotypes the better. This clear, practical guide is a must own for
early years educators and written by experts in their field.
Graham Andre, Assistant Head at Lanesend Primary and
teacher featured on No More Boys and Girls
Susie and Barbara are amazing and passionate trainers, who will open your eyes through
their knowledge on gender equity. Their insights into this important subject will really
challenge you to reflect on and update your practice.
Tracey Riseborough, Head of Kinderly Learn
A clear, logical and practical approach to addressing gender and other stereotypes in early
years settings and why this is so important. A must-read for anyone studying or working in
the early years and all early childhood settings.
Mary Beare Aust, Lecturer in Early Childhood Education,
Institute of Technology Carlow
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iii
CHALLENGING GENDER
STEREOTYPES IN THE
EARLY YEARS
What does gender equity mean for early years practitioners? What are early years settings
already doing to promote gender equality and why is this so important? How can we pro-
vide children with a solid basis from which they can grow into people who are not limited by
society’s expectations of their gender?
This is a manual for every early years practitioner who wishes to expand their know-
ledge and improve their practice regarding gender stereotyping in the early years. Drawing
from the authors’ experience developing a public health programme tackling gender stereo-
types, it explores the reasons why gender inequality is still an issue, identifies how gender
inequality is perpetuated and provides a framework and practical tools to drive change. The
framework includes an audit process to celebrate areas of success and to identify areas for
development, alongside a host of suggestions on how to navigate tricky situations in cre-
ative, respectful and effective ways.
With the voices and experiences of experts and practitioners woven throughout the
text, alongside key reflections and scenarios with which the reader can critically engage,
Challenging Gender Stereotypes in the Early Years challenges readers to consider their own
practice, drive staff awareness and make a difference to their setting.
Susie Heywood and Barbara Adzajlic are public health professionals with over 15 years’
experience working on areas like mental health, gender-b ased violence, suicide prevention,
behaviour change and inequalities.
Together, Susie and Barbara co- created the Gender Friendly Nursery, a programme of
training and accreditation supporting early learning and childcare establishments to address
gender equality as part of their roles with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. They now work
together to offer guidance, support and training to organisations that wish to improve their
practice in relation to gender inequality.
iv
v
CHALLENGING GENDER
STEREOTYPES IN THE
EARLY YEARS
Changing the Narrative
Susie Heywood and Barbara Adzajlic
vi
Image Credit: © Fiordaliso / Getty Images
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Susie Heywood and Barbara Adzajlic
The right of Susie Heywood and Barbara Adzajlic to be identified as authors of this work has been
asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. The purchase of this copyright material confers the right on the purchasing
institution to photocopy or download pages which bear the support material icon and a copyright line
at the bottom of the page. No other parts of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in
any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
A catalog record has been requested for this book
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 76652- 8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 76650- 4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 16792- 1 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003167921
Typeset in Interstate
by Newgen Publishing UK
Access the Support Material: www.routle dge.com/ 978036 7766 504
vii
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ix
An Important Note on Safety and Self- Care x
Introduction 1
PART 1 5
1 Key Concepts and Definitions 7
2 Gender Inequality: What are We Getting Right? 17
3 Young Brains: Gender, Sex and Child Development 23
4 How Gender Stereotypes are Reinforced 34
PART 2 49
5 What’s the Harm? 51
6 Violence Against Women and Girls 59
7 Man Up! Gender Stereotypes and Male Violence 70
8 Gendered Bodies 81
9 Parent Pressure 92
10 Sexuality and Gender Identity: The Pressure to Conform 101
11 Learning, Working, Earning 110
viii
viii Contents
12 Mental Health 121
13 Gender and the Early Years Workforce 126
PART 3 135
14 Auditing Your Practice 137
15 Bias, and How to Get Over It! 141
16 Equitable Practice 149
17 What Parents Can Do and How to Get Them on Board 161
18 Practice Scenarios 170
19 A Call to Action 188
Appendix 1: Action Checklist 191
Appendix 2: Audit Table 192
Appendix 3: Further Information 199
Recommended Reading 203
Glossary 206
Index 208
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank the following people who agreed to be interviewed and have their
voices included in this book: Dr Rosie Baruah (Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine),
Julie Cameron (Mental Health Foundation), Nicky Coia (NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde),
James Cook (Educator), Graham Goulden (Cultivating Minds), Anita Le Tissier (Educator),
Dr Nancy Lombard (Glasgow Caledonian University), Thomas Lynch (Dads Rock), Margrét
Pála Ólafsdóttir (Hjalli Nurseries), Professor Gina Rippon (Aston University), Shaddai Tembo
(Critical Early Years) and Davy Thompson (White Ribbon Scotland).
Thanks also to the numerous people who gave their time, their thoughts and their support
as we worked on this book. These include Susie Bennet, Linz Connell, Francesca Mallen,
Dr Robyn Muir, Sue Palmer, Cara Richardson, John Wadsworth and Alison Whelan.
Massive thanks to our patient and understanding families, who supported our passion and
commitment to this work.
We would also like to acknowledge NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and their Gender Friendly
Nursery project; they supported us to develop our passion for this topic area and provided
the initial inspiration for this book.
