Abstract
This paper compares children’s participation rights in England and in Canada. It argues that the increasing participation of children in English policy and legislation is linked to research and publishing from those working in the new paradigm of the social study of childhood. We consider that one effect of the relatively low take up from Canadian academics in this sub-discipline may be one reason as to why child participation has somewhere to go in Canada. We describe an undergraduate program that has recently added a Child Advocacy Certificate or Diploma, and contend that undergraduate education grounded in the new paradigm can positively impact advocacy and participation, as well as feeding into wider societal understandings of childhood.
Highlights
The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)—which has, since January 2015, been ratified by every country in the world except the United States—is couched within three broad areas: provision, protection, and participation
This paper describes the advances made in the UK in relation to child participation since the development of what has been called the “new” paradigm of childhood studies
The paper contrasts these advances with attempts to encourage child participation in Canada, and argues that one of the components missing is an engagement on the part of academia with the new paradigm
Summary
The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)—which has, since January 2015, been ratified by every country in the world except the United States—is couched within three broad areas: provision, protection, and participation. The paper describes a program at one Canadian University which has, over the last 10 years, educated students in this academic approach to childhood and which is more recently training students in reflexive thinking about children’s voices, rights, participation, and child advocacy.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Canadian Journal of Children's Rights / Revue canadienne des droits des enfants
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
