Topic 8- Enacting children's rights in early childhood settings
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Charles Sturt University *
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Jan 9, 2024
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Topic 8: Enacting children's rights in early childhood settings
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https://unsplash.com/photos/OV44gxH71DU
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Overview
In Topic 8 you will continue to consider the implications of what you have learned in the subject for your work in ECEC.
Children’s human rights and voice must be considered in the development and implementation of
programs that will effect their lives and opportunities. Both internationally and in Australia,
conventions, laws and frameworks mandate that the rights, agency and voice of children be heard
(Brotherhood of Saint Lawrance, 2020).
Topic rationale
This topic connects to this subject Learning Outcome:
to reflect upon contemporary images of children and childhood and evaluate how these support or hinder the enactment of children's rights.
Watch
Watch
The following video (8.31 min) is titled Children's voices part 1 - The participation process.
As part of a research partnership between the South Australian Department for Education and Child
Development and the University of South Australia (through the de Lissa Chair in Early Childhood
Research, Professor Pauline Harris) a Children's Voices Principled Framework for Children and Young
People's Participation as Valued Citizens and Learners has been developed and can be accessed as a
free resource from the following location:
https://www.education.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/childrens-voices-framework.pdf?
acsf_files_redirect
Part 1 of the complimentary Children's Voices documentary series explores consultation with young
children at Ocean View College Children's Centre informing the Review of South Australia's Strategic
Plan.
(Department of Education, South Australia, 2014).
Children's voices part 1 - The participation process (2014, July 16) < https://youtu.be/ygwVQWEEfEU
>
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Read
Required reading
Reading 8.1
A team of early childhood leaders asked the author of this next reading, Jane Murray,
for help with their funded research project. Their aim was to investigate if ‘eliciting their children’s
voices impacts on the children’s learning, development and well-being, and if so, how’. Children have
a right to ‘freedom of expression’ and ‘right to be heard’ (Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights [OHCHR], 1989) and these are experienced, highly qualified early childhood practitioners. They
lead provision characterised by statements of vision which refer variously to every child as unique,
with individual needs and ways of learning which are recognised, appreciated and met and who is
enabled to be confident, caring, valued, independent, motivated, supported, self-disciplined and
respected. Nevertheless, these experts who advocate for children every day could not be sure if – and
how – listening to young children’s voice affects the children’s well-being, development and learning.
In this editorial, Jane considers why this might be the case and explore some messages that the wider
field of early childhood education may have for these early childhood leaders
(Murray, 2019, p. 1).
This reading can be found in the Leganto link.
This reading would be good for Assessment 3.
Reading 8.2
This reading discusses an interesting study that examined
how an early childhood education (ECE) curriculum responds to children’s voices in reference to
transition from kindergarten to first grade. Drawing from the findings of a previous study that
examined the empowering and limiting aspects of transition as voiced by first graders, [Loiszou]
considers the points where this document responds and supports children’s needs. Qualitative
document analysis is employed to untangle the details of the curriculum and make the necessary
connections. Findings suggest that a curriculum that integrates learning and development can
respond to children's voices on transition to first grade. A different image of the transitioning child is
considered, one which encompasses the temporal dimensions of the past, present, and future. This
study considers the importance of capitalizing on the ECE experiences in order to respond to the
readiness of transition to first grade
(Loizou, 2020, p. 670).
This reading can be found by opening up the Leganto Link page. This assessment would be good for Assessment 1 and 2.
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Readings
Read
Extension readings to be used to help attain higher marks
Maybin, J. (2013). Towards a sociocultural understanding of children's voice. While ‘voice’ is frequently invoked in discussions of pupils’ agency and empowerment, less attention has been paid to the dialogic dynamics of children's voices and the sociocultural features shaping their emergence. Drawing on linguistic ethnographic research involving recent recordings of 10- and 11-year-old children's spoken language experience across the school day, this paper examines how pupils’ voices are configured within institutional interactional contexts which render particular kinds of voice more or less hearable and convey different kinds of value. Analysis shows how children appropriate and reproduce the authoritative voices of education, popular culture and parents in the course of their induction into social practices. At the same time, they also express varying degrees of
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commitment to these voices and orchestrate their own and other people's voices within accounts and anecdotes, making voice appropriation an uneven, accumulative process shot through with the dynamics of personal and peer-group experience. The examination of children's dialogue from different contexts across the school day highlights the situated semiotics of voice and the heteroglossic development of children's speaking consciousness.
You will find this reading by opening up the Leganto link page. ↑ Back to top
Assessment Resources
Resources
Documenting children's voices
Documenting and incorporating the children's voices for baby and toddler groups into early childhood programs and environments when they are not yet speaking can
be a challenge for early childhood educators but we just need to approach this type of reflection and documentation a little differently!
In Part 3 of this blog series - Planning & Play for Babies & Toddlers
Jade is sharing with you some simple tips and strategies for setting up engaging learning environments, seeking and using baby and toddler voices in your planning and how you can now close the planning cycle loop without needing to write pages and pages!
https://www.theempowerededucatoronline.com/2019/10/documenting-childrens-
voices-in-planning.html/
.
Engaging with children’s voices
Experiences of relationships and participation in communities contribute to children’s belonging, being and becoming.
From birth, children experience living and learning with others in a range of communities. These might include families, local communities or early childhood settings. Having a positive sense of identity and experiencing respectful, responsive relationships strengthens children’s interest and skills in being and becoming active contributors to their world (DEEWR, 2009, p. 25).
Children are competent humans who have the inherent right and capability to contribute to decisions that affect their lives. Such is the assertion of Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN, 1989):
When adults are making decisions that affect children, children have the right to say what they think should happen and have their opinions taken into account.
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/every-child-magazine/every-child-
index/free-articles/engaging-childrens-voices-free-article/
The importance of giving children a voice
Giving children a choice is so important in the early years and this is reflected
through the EYFS documents. Not only does it support best practice and show you are promoting the EYFS outcomes, meeting the every child matters outcomes but also shows you are meeting children’s rights. Allowing children to have a voice is stated as basic rights by United Nations and it highlights the importance of giving children a voice
https://www.earlyyearscareers.com/eyc/latest-news/the-importance-of-giving-
children-a-voice/
.
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Reflect - think about this information
Reflect - think about this information
The South Australian video above suggests that play materials can actually ‘get in the way’ of children’s play. Take a look around your child care service:
Are there any places where the equipment deters or hinders children’s play?
How can you involve children in creating their spaces in your service?
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Activity
Activity
Watch the video, read 8.1 & 8.2 and if you have time you could read the extension article and skim through the resources.
Week 11
Ethical principles (autonomy, beneficence, etc., check Newman & Pollnitz) - here you would think about what ethical principles you feel as an educator would be important when thinking about resolving this dilemma.
Do you think the parent
would want to consider different principles? Do you feel the child might want you to
think about different principles? Do not mention any possible actions
yet.
No
references are required.
Ethical theories (ends-based, rules-based, care-based from Newman and Pollnitz) - here you would think about what ethical theory you feel could be adopted when trying to work out a resolution. Think about the different roles (staff, parent and
child) and what they might feel is the best approach for the child. Write a paragraph for each role
.
You would then respond to your group members' posts- Y
ou may agree with an ethical principle or theory or perhaps feel other principles and theories might be also
considered in your group members’ discussion. Or you might respond thoughtfully to
your group members by posing questions that might help them add depth to their discussion. You would then respond to your peers either agreeing or adding depth to
their list of actions. Remember to be positive in your responses and mindful of your group members’ feelings
.
This week you would be continuing to draft your journal entries for Assessment 3 Part
B.
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Watch
Watch - Informal chat recording
Please use the link to view a recording of this week's informal chat.
Rights of the child segment 1 - What are children's rights (2018, Mar 18) < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COjVj9czgrY
>
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*
Weekly Meeting Please use the link below to view a recording of this week's informal chat.
https://charlessturt.zoom.us/rec/share/8fK1kfk7cqOL6Q2TZoHE1DFZV2taFYsGkSxMDfUg-
9wuGsQAFgSqwXoC-nbcwhVn.-IzaqIBm2_9WDf-6
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