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Priscilla Alderson examines the issue of young children's rights, starting with the question of how the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child applies to the youngest children, from birth to eight years of age. The question of finding a balance between young children's rights to protection, to provision (resources and services) and to participation (expressing their views, being responsible) is discussed. The author suggests that, in the belief we are looking after their best interests, we have become overprotective of children and deny them the freedom to be expressive, creative and active, and that improving the way adults and children communicate is the best way of redressing that balance. She considers some of the problems adults may have communicating with children and offers practical suggestions as to how these can be overcome.
Young Children's Rights is published by Jessica Kingsley for Save the Children, the leading international voluntary organisation for children in the UK, who saw the need for this book and commissioned the work. This readable, informative and thought-provoking book is a compelling invitation to rethink our attitudes to young children's rights in the light of new theories, research and practical evidence about children's daily lives. It will be of interest to anyone who works with young children.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 176
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Published: 01 Feb 2000
ISBN 10: 1853028800
ISBN 13: 9781853028809
The phrase children's rights is often bandied about as if they are easily understood and readily available to all children but this book reminds us that in many areas there is still much to be done and gives insight into how. I found the content absorbing and thought provoking.
Every Child Matters is a policy agenda that has emerged since the last edition in 2000 and the landscape of children's rights has changed as a result - this book helps you understand why it had to. This is a book definitely worth having. It provides up-to-the-minute thinking on the direction we must follow in order to listen better to children - and not just in the UK but across the rest of the world too.
-- Professional Social WorkThe book contains a lot of common sense and explores events that occur every day in our schools as well as issues I have not yet had to deal with. She stresses that we need to teach children that sometimes they have a choice, but at other times there is no choice. Her argument is that if children can choose on occasions, it is then easier to accept that sometimes they can't.
She offers arguments both for and against young children being consulted in matters which affect them. The book gives clear suggestions of how to deal with possible barriers put up by adults who feel they should be the decision makers. All this provides interesting reading and the basis for a good discussion. It made me think about the school councils I have sat on: very thought provoking... Young Children's Rights gives us a chance to rethink our attitudes to young children's rights in the light of new theories, research and practical evidence.
-- Professionalism in Practice