Hairdresser Anne Veck reacts to new Afro hair sector standard

It comes after the hair types were included in the cutting and styling practice standard following a recent review of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for hairdressing.

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This means hairdressers in the UK will have to learn how to work with all hair types.

Anne Veck, who runs hair salon Anne Veck Oxford, is happy to hear the news as she feels hairdressers should be able to cut and style all hair types.

She said: “Imagine always hating your hair because of how people treated you at school, and then looking for a local hair salon as an adult, only to find that they don’t cater for you.

Anne Veck. Pic: Shaun Fellows/Shine Pix

"It’s completely demoralising and unacceptable. We as salon owners and hairdressers need to do more. I strongly believe that if you call yourself a hairdresser you need to be competent in all hair types.”

People who have Afro and textured hair have for a very long time not been able to get a cut or style at hair salons on the high street because hairdressers are not trained.

When awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement surged during lockdown, many sectors were put under the spotlight. In the hair industry a large proportion of that focus was on the lack of education for black hair, currently being delivered in colleges.

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Ms Veck says she is pleased to see that this is finally being recognised and that the UK hair industry will better educate new stylists in Afro hair and to make textured hair compulsory within NVQ training, for a 'more equal, more educated' sector.

She said: “If this year has taught us anything, it’s that hair salons must be ready and willing to adapt while responding to the needs of society. We’ve seen first-hand the value of community support and how knowledge and skill sharing can keep the industry moving forward.

"I will continue to bang my drum on the necessity of textured hair services in salons because it’s just not an option to think otherwise.”

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The hairdresser says despite the change, it is only a 'small drop in the ocean' in moving forward to make the sector more inclusive.

Her salon has invested in training team members in cutting, styling and relaxing very curly hair and holds regular training sessions in and out of the salon.

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