Methods of Transformative Participation in International Child Protection Contexts

This symposium weaves together the findings of an edited book, Children and Young People’s Participation in Child Protection: International Research and Practical Applications, published by Oxford University Press in 2023. The book’s objective is to inspire children, children’s rights activists, child protection, students, scholars, practitioners, and public policymakers by showcasing a variety of concrete examples of children’s participation that can be transformative for children. Transformative participation refers to children’s chances to make meaningful choices, develop a sense of agency, possess the resources to exercise agency and achieve their life choices (Shier, 2001; Kabeer, 2005). 

This symposium describes how children act as social change agents in social work education, research, and development. It also analyzes how social work professionals promote children’s participation in different parts of the world. In this presentation, several book chapter authors will present the main takeaways of their chapters in person or a short video presentation. The presentations in this symposium will highlight resources facilitating children’s participation, including facilitatory and transformative legal, policy, and practice contexts and emotional, financial, time, and logistical supports, such as capacity-building of children and adults.

Findings:

The presentations will show how children’s involvement in systemic change varies. It includes children who are “experts of experience” evaluating and developing a new social work practice approach with children in Denmark and children taking collective action to promote and defend children’s rights in their communities in the coffee-growing region in Nicaragua. Transformative participatory professional practices are characterized by caring, consistent, respectful professional attitudes, relationships, and practice approaches that allow all children to participate regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, gender identity, migrant background, sexuality, etc. The presentations on Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States show that participatory attitudes towards children are nurturing and free of biases, labeling, and stigmatizing children. Creative practice methods that combine playful visual and non-verbal modes with verbal modes of expression, such as creating images and life storybooks, encourage children’s involvement. The social change led by children can be transformative for children and lead to a change in social work training, practice, and community and societal change.


References:

Kabeer, N. G. (2005). A critical analysis of the Third Millennium Development Goal. Gender & Development, 13(1), 13-24.

Shier, H. (2001). Pathways to participation: Openings, opportunities and obligations. Children & Society, 15(2), 107-117.