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Acting on Children's Voices to Influence National Early Childhood Education Policy in Australia
Lennie Barblett, Susan Lee Irvine, Fay Hadley, Linda Joan Harrison, Jennifer Cartmel ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This chapter describes a 14-month, three-phase national project in Australia that consulted young children about changes they would like to see in the Early Years Learning Framework during a national policy review. Children's views were gathered through creative listening methods: dialogic drawing, listening circles and photo elicitation. The project was based on child rights and children's participation, and treated listening as an active practice that goes beyond speech. The chapter also discusses the ethical issues involved in listening to children in research. It argues that children should be meaningfully involved in policy development.
Key points
- Young Australian children were consulted as part of a national policy review of the Early Years Learning Framework.
- The project ran for 14 months in three phases.
- Dialogic drawing, listening circles and photo elicitation were used to support children's expression.
- Listening was understood as active and dynamic, including the co-construction of meaning through social interaction.
- Listening to children in research raises complex ethical considerations that need ongoing reflexivity and informed decision-making.
Limitations
The abstract does not report what children actually said, how many took part, their ages, or whether the policy changed as a result. It does not measure any impact on child outcomes.
Abstract
As part of a recent national policy review, young Australian children were consulted through creative listening methods to share their perspectives on changes they would like to see in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Curriculum embedded in policy has been historically adult-driven, positioning adults as the primary decision-makers in matters affecting children&s;s lives. This 14-month, three-phase national project was underpinned by a commitment to child rights and to children&s;s participation where participatory spaces were created that foregrounded listening to children&s;s voices. Listening was conceptualised as an active and dynamic practice, extending beyond verbal communication to include the co-construction of meaning through social interaction. Listening to children in research contexts raises complex ethical considerations, requiring ongoing reflexivity and informed decision-making by researchers and educators. Dialogic drawing, listening circles and photo elicitation were used to support children&s;s expression of their ideas and experiences. This chapter demonstrates the importance of meaningfully involving children in policy development and highlights ways for authentically listening to children in ways that respect their rights and capacities.