Child citizenship and participation: Bottom-up level change from professional conversations with children


Abstract views: 351 / PDF downloads: 184

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37291/2717638X.202452413

Keywords:

Children’s voices, Children’s participation, Citizenship, Communication

Abstract

Hart's (1992) 'Innocenti Essay on Child Participation' advocated for increased involvement of young people as active participants in societal decision-making. This paper provides a historical overview of active child citizenship initiatives, using applied research insights from 'bottom-up' approaches and conversations with children and professionals. It explores how current practices exemplified through three case studies can enhance genuine child participation and citizenship. The case study analysis examines the conversational processes involving children in problem-solving and decision-making within their communities. Through these examples, the paper highlights practical strategies for meaningfully engaging children as stakeholders and empowering them as active citizens whose voices substantially influence matters impacting their lives.

References

Alanen, L. (2001). Explorations in generational analysis. In Alanen L and Mayall B (Eds.) Conceptualizing Child-Adult Relations (pp. 11-22). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203467220

Bae, B. (2009). Children’s right to participate - challenges in everyday interactions. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 17(3), 391-406. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13502930903101594

Barblett, L., Bobongie-Harris, F., Cartmel, J., Hadley, F., Harrison, L., Irvine, S., & Lavina, L. (2023). ‘We’re not useless, we know stuff!’ Gathering children’s voices to inform policy. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 48(2), 134-147. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391221139912

Basok, T., Ilca, S. & Noonan, J. (2006). Citizenship, human rights and social justice. Citizenship Studies,10(3), 267-273. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13621020600772040

Ben-Arieh, A., Casas, F., Frones, I., & Korbin J.E. (eds) (2014). Handbook of child well-being - Theorise, methods and policies in global perspective. Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9063-8

Bronfenbrenner, U. & Evans, G.W. (2000). Developmental science in the 21st century: Emerging questions, theoretical models, research designs and empirical findings. Social Development, 9(1), 115-125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9507.00114

Cartmel, J., & Casley, M. (2010). Talking Circles: Gathering the wisdom of children. Report for Early Childhood Australia, Queensland Branch.

Cartmel, J., & Casley, M. (2014a). Talking circles. In S. Garvis & D. Pendergast (Eds.), Health and wellbeing in childhood (pp. 178-189). Cambridge University Press.

Cartmel, J., & Casley, M. (2014b). Talking circles: Building relationships with children. Communities, Children and Families Australia, 8(1), 67-80.

Cartmel, J., Casley, M., & Smith, K. (2024). Talking circles. In S. Garvis & D. Pendergast (Eds.), Health and wellbeing in childhood (4th ed., pp. 210–221). Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316780107.015

Casley, M. (2017). Conversations between children and adults. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Griffith University, Australia.

Cohen, J. (2005). Deliberation and democratic legitimacy. In Matravers D and Pike J (Eds) Debates in contemporary political philosophy (pp.352-370). Routledge DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203986820-28

Hart, R. A. (1992). Children’s participation: From tokenism to citizenship. UNICEF Innocenti Essays, No. 4, International Child Development Centre of UNICEF, Florence, Italy.

Hart, R. A. (2008). Stepping Back from ‘The Ladder’: Reflections on a model of participatory work with children. In Reid A, Jensen B B, Nikal J, and Simovska V (eds) Participation and Learning: Perspectives on education and the environment, health and sustainability (pp.19–31). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6416-6_2

Isin, E. & Turner, B. (2007). Investigating citizenship: An agenda for citizenship studies. Citizenship Studies, 11(1), 5-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13621020601099773

Jans, M. (2004). Children as citizens: Towards a contemporary notion of child participation. Childhood, 11(1), 27-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0907568204040182

Lansdown, G. (2005). Innocenti insight: The evolving capacities of the child. Save the Children and UNICEF.

Lätsch, D., Quehenberger, J., Portmann, R., & Jud, A. (2023). Children’s participation in the child protection system: Are young people from poor families less likely to be heard? Children and Youth Services Review, 145, 106762. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106762

Leiter, V., McDonald, J. & Jacobson H. (2006). Challenges to children’s independent citizenship: Immigration, family and the state. Childhood, 13(1), 11–27. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0907568206059978

Linklater, A. (1992). The question of the next stage in international relations theory: A critical-theoretical point of view. Millennium, 21(1), 77–98. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/03058298920210010601

Lúcio, J., & I’Anson, J. (2015). Children as members of a community: Citizenship, participation and educational development – an introduction to the special issue. European Educational Research Journal, 14(2): 129–137. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1474904115571794

Mayall, B. (2000). The sociology of childhood in relation to children's rights. The International Journal of Children's Rights, 8, 243-259. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/15718180020494640

Morrow, V. (2013). What’s in a number? Unsettling the boundaries of age. Childhood, 20(2), 151–155. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0907568213484199

Novella Cámara, A., Crespo Torres, F., & Pose Porto, H. (2022). Meetings between professionals for the ınclusion of children in citizen participation: A formative experience. Social Inclusion, 10(2), 19-31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v10i2.5018

Pawson, R. & Tilley, N. (2004). Realist evaluation. British Cabinet Office. Sage Publications

Pawson, R. (2006). Evidence-based policy a realist perspective. Sage Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781849209120

Qvortrup, J. (2011). Childhood as a structural form. In: Qvortrup J, Corsaro W A, and Honig M (eds) The palgrave handbook of childhood studies (pp. 21-33). Palgrave Macmillan

Rafanell, I. (2013). Micro-situational foundations of social structure. Journal of Theory and Social Behavior 43, 181-204. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jtsb.12012

Rinaldi, C. (2001). The pedagogy of listening: The listening perspective from Reggio Emilia. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/526fe9aee4b0c53fa3c845e0/t/540fce31e4b00c94d884e002/1410321969279/Pedagody+of+Listening+-+Rinaldi+-+Fall+2001.pdf

Scharmer, O. (2018). The essentials of theory U: Core principles and applications. Berrett-Koehler.

Senge, P., Scharmer, O., Jaworski, J. & Flowers, B. (2005). Presence: Exploring profound change in people, organizations and society. London: Nicholas Brealey.

Shafir, G. & Brysk, A. (2006). The globalization of rights: From citizenship to human rights. Citizenship Studies 10(3), 275-287. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13621020600772073

Skott-Myhre, H. & Tarulli, D. (2008). Becoming-child: Ontology, immanence, and the production of child and youth rights. In: O’Neill T and Zinga D (eds) Children's Rights: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Participation and Protection (pp. 69-84). University of Toronto Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442687615-006

Smith, K. (2019). Talking Circles as a strategy for listening to children’s voices in school-age care. [Unpublished Masters dissertation]. Griffith University, Australia.

Theobald, M., Danby, S., & Ailwood, J. (2011). Child participation in the early years: Challenges for education. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36(3), 19-26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/183693911103600304

Ulvik, O. & Gulbrandsen, L. (2015). Exploring children's everyday life: An examination of professional practices. Nordic Psychology, 67(3), 210-224. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19012276.2015.1062257

United Nations Children’s Fund [UNICEF]. (2019). Child participation in local governance: A UNICEF guidance note - public finance and local governance (PFLG) social policy. www.unicef.org/sites/default/files/2019-12/UNICEF-Child-Participation-in-Local-Governance.pdf

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR]. (2022) Global trend report. www.unhcr.org/global-trends-report-2022

United Nations. (1989). United nations convention on the rights of the child. www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/crc.pdf

van Nijnatten, C. (2013). Children’s agency, children’s welfare: A dialogical approach to child development, policy and practice. Policy Press.

Walker, D. & Myrick, F. (2006). Grounded theory: An exploration of process and procedure. Qualitative Health Research, 16(4), 547-559. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732305285972

Warming, H. (2011). Children’s participation and citizenship in a global age. Empowerment, tokenism or discriminatory disciplining? Social Work and Society, 9, 119-134.

Wessells, M. (2015). Bottom-up approaches to strengthening child protection systems: Placing children, families, and communities at the center. Child Abuse and Neglect, 43, 8-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.04.006

Wyness, M. (2018). Childhood, culture and society: In a global context. Sage.

Yin, R. K. (1994). Discovering the future of the case study method in evaluation research. Evaluation Practice, 15(3), 283-290. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0886-1633(94)90023-X

Downloads

Published

2024-07-15

How to Cite

Casley, M., Cartmel, J., Smith, K., O’Leary, P., & Reyes Bernard , N. (2024). Child citizenship and participation: Bottom-up level change from professional conversations with children. Journal of Childhood, Education & Society, 5(2), 270–282. https://doi.org/10.37291/2717638X.202452413