Understanding the Impact of Prejudice and Discrimination on Children and Young People

We all have the right to be treated equally, to develop and grow without being exposed to prejudice and discrimination irrespective of our race, colour, religion or ability.   Allowing children and young people to explore and discover diversity they are will naturally understand and respect differences.   As children and young people develop they may experience prejudice and discrimination in many ways and forms, for a multitude of reasons that usually occurs through lack of knowledge and understanding.   Children and young people are most likely to discriminate against others because of a prejudice approach they may hold, such as all girls hate football.   Schools must be conscious that a child or young person will experience some form of prejudice or discrimination against them for being in a minority in anyway. For example; disability, religion, personal looks, dress, ability, anything that makes them different from the normal!   I myself was decimated against at school for not living in the same part of town than the others.  
Discrimination is a harmful way in which another person is treated and should never be ignored or excused and must be challenged immediately and dealt with.   The impact on   children and young people how have be discriminated again can vary according to many factors.   The general response may be lack of self esteem, respect, withdrawal, aggression and or loss in confidence with young people struggling to form relationships and education, social and emotional development and ability to get / hold a job.   Children may become depressed, absent from school more than before or even start to self harm themselves.   Vulnerable children and young adults may even be likely to start to believe the discrimination against then.   It can have an effect that they too become discrimatory towards others in a form of retaliation.

Children and young people learn their attitudes from the grown-ups around them making it important to make sure that we as adults...