Program 1

Citizenship and Children
Lead by Kylie Smith

The ‘Citizenship and Children’ research program comprises a suite of research projects that investigate the practices, principles and processes of children’s participation in policy-making, education and pedagogical practices. The aim of the program is to inform and improve the theory, policy and practice of enacting children’s rights in services and programs geared to their needs. Listening to young children is recognised through the United Convention on the Rights of the Child as a prerequisite of a vigorous democratic society. By listening to children, adults can assist them to enact their right as citizens to participate in decisions that affect their lives, giving them a stake in those decisions. Listening to young children helps them to build the skills and knowledge they need to be active citizens and gives them experience in participating in decision-making. However, research-based evidence about how best to conceptualise and practice listening to young children is scant. The CEIEC uses action-oriented investigative projects to build an evidence-based approach to children’s rights and participation in civic life and to advance public debate and scholarship on the topic.

Projects within this program include:

Current Projects

• Child Friendly Cities Research Project: Melbourne City Council
• The Child Care Centre and School as Democratic Practice
• Children's Plan: City of Melbourne
• Vice Chancellor's Interdisciplinary Steering Committee on Children's Rights, Participation and Citizenship
• Respecting children as citizens in local government: participation in policies and services (City of Port Phillip)
• Consulting children in hospital settings
• How young children mediate and influence their peers' identities as citizens

Completed Projects

• Children's voices and diversity in early childhood curriculum
• Engaging in citizenship: Mornington Peninsula Shire's Early Years Plan
• Increasing child centred practice: an action research project
• Including young children's voices: early years gender policy
• ACT Children's Strategy - Consulting with Children Birth to Eight Years of Age: Hearing young children's voices
• Children changing bullying in their world. A critical reflection through an art project

Publications

Additional publications linked to program 1

Postgraduate projects linked to Program 1

Page, J. Children's discourses of emotions: Rethinking citizenship (Doctor of Philosophy).

Stewart , S. The effectiveness of an educational play therapy intervention in an MRI unit (Master of Education).

Tadich, T. Family centred learning in museums (Master of Education).

Olcay, M. Exploring the issues and challenges facing educators in honouring children’s voices in early childhood curricula. (Master of Education).

Knowledge transfer activities linked to Program 1

Children’s Voices in Pedagogy and Policy Making: a one day conference. 20th June, 2005. The University of Melbourne.