Two IT Sligo students have made an educational video about same sex families, which they hope will raise awareness of this issue and prevent bullying and isolation.
The DVD, “Emma and Charlie’s Fun Day Out”, which has been downloaded on YouTube, is aimed at the three to six years age group.
Katie Young (22) from Ballinode, Sligo and Grace Hughes (23) a native of Cross Co Mayo, both fourth year students on the Early Childhood Care and Education programme at IT Sligo hope to spark a debate about the rights of non-traditional family units.
They have called for the Irish constitution to be amended to widen the definition of the family unit.
“We don’t know how many same sex families there are in Ireland but even if there were only two we feel it is important for all schools to acknowledge this issue,” said Young.
The students believe that as gay people become more open about their sexuality and more visible because of developments like the civil partnership legislation, same sex families will also become more visible.
The project was partly inspired by a desire to ensure that the rights of gay friends and relatives were protected.
The DVD which tells the story of two friends aged, Emma (6) who lives with her two mothers and Charlie (7) who lives with his two Dads, is part of a resource pack “Modern Families” for early years’ practitioners and junior and senior infant. The pack also contains guidelines for practitioners, posters, a board game, a story book and other play props.
Tamsin Cavaliero, a lecturer on the Early Childhood Care and Education programme at IT Sligo said the project was timely coming so soon after the introduction of civil partnership legislation. “It is an issue that is becoming more prevalent and I think the resource pack would be a useful communication tool and a way of facilitating dialogue between practitioners and children and also with parents,” she stressed.
The students said that exposing small children to the knowledge that same sex families exist could help counter bullying and isolation. “A child should have his home life valued at school. Otherwise it can lead to all kind of things like bullying, “said Young.
“Children living in traditional family units see their home life reflected in the curriculum and it is important that all children feel included,” added Hughes.
The students have also urged the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn TD to proceed with his plan to transfer hundreds of schools out of Catholic patronage to give parents choice.
“The Catholic Church has a view on homosexuality which will be reflected in schools under its patronage,” said Young. “Families in urban areas may have a choice but there are no multi denominational schools in many rural areas which means there is no choice”.
The students said that the purpose of their project was to enable children develop a respectful understanding of same sex families. “We also hope that it encourages all children to feel that their home life is valued and respected in the childcare setting,” said Hughes.
The four year honours ECCE programme at IT Sligo prepares graduates for work in the early years sector in crèches, childcare centres, community childcare, and in the area of special needs while some students transfer to primary school teacher training. For more information click here.
- Grace Hughes and Katie Young, students from the Early Childhood Care and Education programme who produced an Educational video on same-sex families as their research project.