Report: Preschool Programming “Severely Lacking” in Representation

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New research commissioned by Hopster has revealed that the majority of top preschool shows poorly represent disabilities, the LGBT+ community and the working class and have high rates of gender stereotyping.

The report involved analyzing 50 of the most popular shows aimed at preschoolers on public-service broadcasting channels, streaming and VOD services. The research found that there were no lead characters with a disability in these top 50 preschool shows. More than half of the programs featuring disabled characters used them either in a tokenistic way (as they were not central to the storyline) or their disability was used negatively (to make them appear sinister or threatening).

Working-class families were “severely” underrepresented, appearing in just 9 percent of shows. Conversely, palaces, castles, mansions and privileged families are being presented in preschool content as the norm.

Only six of the 50 shows from the study had lead BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) characters. In just under half of the cases where BAME characters were included, they were background characters/tokenistic. Just three out of the 50 shows analyzed had a BAME character as a consistent lead.

Representation of LGBT+ people was “extremely lacking,” the report finds. Only 7 percent of the episodes involved in the study alluded to an LGBT+ character, usually very fleetingly.

Over a third of the episodes viewed during the study included gender stereotyping—such as female characters being undermined by males or males presented as the knowledge bearers. Additionally, male characters were often found to be given the more “powerful” roles.

Additional negative stereotypes were found—from incapable single mothers to greedy/lazy overweight people and “nerds” wearing glasses.

Streaming and subscription services, including Netflix and Amazon, were found to be more likely to stream negative cultural, social or gender stereotypes than free-to-air channels. CBeebies, for example, has three of the top five most inclusive and representative shows, with high scoring programs across most categories.

Nick Walters, founder and CEO of Hopster, said: “Many shows aimed at preschoolers are entertaining and educational, but it’s clear from our research that stereotypes still creep in. At Hopster we use our own curriculum, based on the Early Years Foundation Stages, to select content. Teaching kids about diversity and inclusivity is part of that curriculum—and we want to deliver content that addresses that need. A great example is our recent Pride-themed content, where we commissioned a slate of LGBT+ content to represent a diverse range of families. All of the content focuses on positivity, love, family, friendship and trust—with the topics introduced in a way that’s easy to understand even for the youngest audience. It’s so important that kids from all types of families see themselves represented in the shows they watch.”

Laverne Antrobus, a child and educational psychologist, added: “This study by Hopster shows how easily stereotypes and a lack of diversity can creep into the content children are watching. Preschoolers, as the next generation, need to view programs that invite them into a world where the rich layers of difference are celebrated and crucially seen within their favorite programs. Parents need to be mindful of the content their kids are watching, as seeing themselves and others reflected on-screen will nurture their sense of a society in which everyone is represented and can feel they belong.”