Children Taken Seriously: In Theory, Policy And Practice (Children in Charge)

In Children Taken Seriously, leading researchers and policy makers consider how children can be recognized as social actors rather than passive consumers or victims. Using children's own views and experiences as a starting point, they explore how children can be involved as partners in the decision-making processes that affect them, in social work, education, health care and broader social policies. Chapters on the theoretical background draw parallels between developments in children's and women's rights, and discuss communication issues and social and sexual constructions of children. Other chapters explore issues of policy and practice in a variety of areas, from Family Group Conferencing and child protection to child labour and notions of active citizenship. Highlighting the important role of schools in empowering children, the authors discuss children's engagement in and participation in their own education and how children's rights theory influences debates over discipline. This accessible and thought-provoking book is a rich source of insight and ideas for social workers, teachers, mental health professionals and anyone working with children. In Children Taken Seriously, Leading Researchers And Practitioners Consider How Children Can Be Recognized As Social Actors Rather Than Passive Consumers Or Victims. Using Children's Own Views And Experiences As A Starting Point, They Explore How Children Can Be Involved As Partners In The Decision-making Processes That Affect Them, In Social Work, Education, Health Care And Broader Social Policies. This Book Is A Source Of Insight And Ideas For Policymakers And Practitioners, Including Social Workers, Teachers, Mental Health Professionals And Others Working With Children.--book Jacket. Working Seriously Towards New Partnerships : An Introduction / Toby Fattore And Jan Mason With Chris Sidoti -- Women's Studies/childhood Studies : Parallels, Links And Perspectives / Leena Alanen -- Theorizing Representation Of And Engagement With Children : The Political Dimension Of Child-oriented Communication / Toby Fattore And Nick Turnbull -- Virtual Reality : Children As Constituents In Social Welfare And Social Policy Constructions / Marie Wilkinson -- Childhood And Sexuality: Adult Constructions And Silenced Children / Kerry H. Robinson -- The Social Condition Of Uk Childhoods : Children's Understandings And Their Implications / Berry Mayall -- Child Protection Policy And The Construction Of Childhood / Jan Mason -- 'to Know Them Is To Love Them', But Instead Fear And Loathing : Community Perceptions Of Young People / Natalie Bolzan -- The Objectification Of The Child Through 'physical Discipline' And Language : The Debate On Children's Rights Continues / Bernadette J. Saunders And Chris Goddard -- Children's Democratic Rights : What We Can Learn From Young Workers Organizing Themselves / Per Miljeteig -- Taking Young People Seriously Means Giving Them Serious Things To Do / Roger Holdsworth -- Negotiating Competing Versions Of 'the Child' : A Preschool Child's Competence In Parent-teacher Talk At The Preschool / Michelle J. Leiminer And Carolyn D. Baker -- Using Computers At Home And At School : Children's Views And Perspectives / Toni Downes -- Preschool Girls, Conflict, And Repair / Susan Danby -- Children's Perceptions Of School / Neriman Osman -- Organizational Morality And Children's Engagement In Early Childhood Programmes / Donna Berthelsen -- Today I Discovered ... / Helen Woodward -- The Voice Of The Child In The Family Group Conferencing Model / Patricia Kiely. Edited By Jan Mason And Toby Fattore ; Foreword By Mary John. Revised Versions Of Papers Originally Presented At A National Workshop Held In 1999 In Sydney, Australia. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 230-254) And Indexes. Cover......Page 1 Children Taken Seriously: In Theory, Policy and Practice......Page 5 Contents......Page 9 Foreword......Page 13 Working Seriously Towards New Partnerships: An Introduction......Page 17 Part 1 Theory......Page 31 1. Women’s Studies/Childhood Studies: Parallels, Links and Perspectives......Page 33 2. Theorizing Representation of and Engagement with Children: The Political Dimension of Child-Oriented Communication......Page 48 3. Virtual Reality: Children as Constituents in Social Welfare and Social Policy Constructions......Page 60 4. Childhood and Sexuality: Adult Constructions and Silenced Children......Page 68 Part 2 Policy......Page 79 5. The Social Condition of UK Childhoods: Children’s Understandings and Their Implications......Page 81 6. Child Protection Policy and the Construction of Childhood......Page 93 7.‘To Know Them Is To Love Them’, But Instead Fear and Loathing: Community Perceptions of Young People......Page 100 8. The Objectification of the Child through ‘Physical Discipline’ and Language: The Debate on Children’s Rights Continues......Page 115 9. Children’s Democratic Rights: WhatWe Can Learn From Young Workers Organizing Themselves......Page 125 Part 3 Practice......Page 139 10. Taking Young People Seriously Means Giving Them Serious Things to Do......Page 141 11. Negotiating Competing Versions of ‘The Child’: A Preschool Child’s Competence in Parent–Teacher Talk at the Preschool......Page 153 12. Using Computers at Home and at School: Children’s Views and Perspectives......Page 166 13. Preschool Girls, Conflict and Repair......Page 174 14. Children’s Perceptions of School......Page 184 15. Organizational Morality and Children’s Engagement in Early Childhood Programmes......Page 193 16. Today I Discovered.........Page 207 17. The Voice of the Child in the Family Group Conferencing Model......Page 220 APPENDIX: TRANSCRIPT NOTATION ......Page 231 REFERENCES ......Page 232 THE CONTRIBUTORS ......Page 257 SUBJECT INDEX ......Page 260 AUTHOR INDEX ......Page 268 This book is an attempt to broadly communicate knowledge about children and childhood.