Glasgow City Council said it is the first local authority in Scotland toproduce materials for under-fives.
Two years ago the council produced an anti-racist curriculum pack forprimary schools.
The new pack will be sent to the council's 126 early years centres andthe city's 88 private and voluntary partnership nurseries.
Myra Struthers, head of Thornlaw Nursery School in Arden, Glasgow,developed the pack with Mary Garry, head of Sighthill Nursery. MsStruthers is currently on secondment to the council as a pre-fivecurriculum development officer.
She said, 'We decided that because the children are so young, we wouldneed the parents on board as well if we were going to make any headway,because they help form children's attitudes.'
The pack is divided into three sections - children, parents/carers andstaff. To act as a springboard for discussion with parents, it includesboth facts and myths, such as the notion that 'asylum seekers are allillegal immigrants'.
Ms Struthers said, 'It is such an emotive issue. The important thing isto talk openly. People sometimes feel that they can't talk to each otherabout it because they are worried about being politically correct.'
She said Glasgow's population had grown rapidly with an influx of asylumseekers, refugees and new migrants from the EU, which has createdtension.
'We want to to say that to have friends from a wide range of backgroundsis exciting.'
The pack ties in with the curriculum for three- to-five-year-olds.Guidance for staff includes keeping woks and chopsticks in the homecorner all the time, not just at Chinese New Year.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
'Different Together' includes a DVD with a film called 'Love ThyNeighbour', a CD-Rom and a 92-page book. The pack costs 150 fromthe Race Equality Team on 0141 287 4724/4787 or emailles.mclean@education.glasgow.gov.uk
