Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
  • Publication
    Where are the silences? A scoping review of child participatory research literature in the context of the Australian service system
    (Cambridge University Press, 2019-12) ; ; ; ;
    This paper presents a scoping review of the literature on child participatory research in Australia published in academic journals between 2000 and 2018. The review focused on research designed to engage with children and young people in the development, implementation and evaluation of services. A total of 207 papers were identified and distributed across eight service sectors: child protection and family law, community, disability, education, health, housing and homelessness, juvenile justice and mental health. The papers were reviewed against Shier’s participation matrix, demonstrating that almost all of the identified papers included children only as participants who contributed data to adult researchers. Only a small number of papers involved children and young people in the other phases of research, such as designing research questions, analysis and dissemination. There is a clear interest in the engagement of children and young people in service design and decision-making in Australia. This paper is intended to serve as a catalyst for discussion on where there are gaps and where further Australian research is needed.
    Scopus© Citations 15  133
  • Publication
    Pathways to participation: openings, opportunities and obligations
    (Wiley, 2001-04)
    The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child has raised the profile of children's participation in the United Kingdom. Hart's ‘ladder of participation’ has been the most influential model in this field. This paper offers an alternative model, based on five levels of participation: 1. Children are listened to. 2. Children are supported in expressing their views. 3. Children's views are taken into account. 4. Children are involved in decision‐making processes. 5. Children share power and responsibility for decision‐making. In addition, three stages of commitment are identified at each level: ‘openings’, ‘opportunities’ and ‘obligations’. The model thus provides a logical sequence of 15 questions as a tool for planning for participation.
    Scopus© Citations 804  2413
  • Publication
    Retomando los caminos hacia la participación: Aprendiendo de los niños, niñas y adolescentes trabajadores del café de Nicaragua
    (IIED-América Latina, 2008-11)
    En la mayoría de los estudios sobre participación infantil en los países del hemisferio norte ha predominado el enfoque de consulta con niños, niñas y adolescentes acerca del uso de servicios públicos. Muchos análisis se han dedicado a la descripción de diferentes modelos y modalidades utilizados para facilitar este tipo de participación. El modelo conocido como “Pathways to Participation” (Los Caminos hacia la Participación), propuesto por este autor (Shier 2001), es un ejemplo de este enfoque.
      127
  • Publication
    Empowerment of Children and Adolescents: What is it, how does it occur, and what is the adult supporter’s role?
    (Children's Research Network, 2019-01)
    "Empowerment" has been claimed as one of the important benefits of children’s participation (Kellett, 2010; White and Choudhury, 2010). This is an attractive and plausible idea, but there is no consensus among those working in this field on what the term means, and currently no way to validate such claims.
      177
  • Publication
    Towards a New Improved Pedagogy of "Children’s Rights and Responsibilities"
    (Brill, 2018-11-24)
    There is evidence from around the world that teaching on “rights and responsibilities” in schools is confused and ill-informed; as a result, children are misled and manipulated. Child researchers in Nicaragua discovered new evidence to support this view. An examination of the literature in search of guidance on how to teach children about rights and responsibilities found no consensus, but revealed eight different ways in which the relationship between children’s rights and responsibilities has been conceptualised: (1) Rights imply duties of a duty-bearer; (2) Rights imply responsibilities by reciprocity; (3) Responsibilities can be inferred from human rights instruments; (4) Some legal instruments define both rights and responsibilities for children; (5) Cultural and religious traditions may emphasise responsibilities, but rights can still be promoted in a way that is sensitive to these traditions; (6) Responsibilities can be paired with rights as part of classroom management strategies; (7) “Citizenship” can be taught as a contractual arrangement involving rights and responsibilities of the citizen; and (8) Children, as active citizens, can take on responsibilities, including the promotion and defence of their own rights and the rights of others. The challenge for educators is to develop a pedagogical approach that can encompass all of the above in a way that is appropriate, relevant and not confusing to children.
    Scopus© Citations 7  267
  • Publication
    Children as researchers in Nicaragua: Children’s consultancy to transformative research
    (SAGE, 2015-06-01)
    hild workers on Nicaragua’s coffee plantations have become researchers, generating knowledge which leads to action to help solve some of the severe social problems that affect the rural communities where they live and work. This article first looks at how child researchers are seen in the existing literature. It then traces the history of the approach used, known as Transformative Research by Children and Adolescents, from its origins in ‘Children’s Consultancy’ in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, through its adaptation to the Nicaraguan context and subsequent metamorphosis into today’s transformative research approach. It discusses the concept of ‘transformation’ in social research, and CESESMA’s alternative ‘four transformations’ framework, with its emphasis on a coherent concept of empowerment. It then identifies four things child researchers need from their adult supporters: appropriate and effective research methodology, skilled and sensitive process facilitation, technical support and a responsible attitude to child protection that recognises but does not exaggerate risks. It concludes by highlighting some challenges to be addressed in further developing and extending the approach.
    Scopus© Citations 25  142