Rethinking Children's Rights: Attitudes in Contemporary Society (New Childhoods)

Rethinking Children's Rights explores attitudes towards and experiences of children's rights. Phil Jones and Sue Welch draw on a wide range of thought, research and practice from different fields and countries to debate, challenge and re-appraise long held beliefs, attitudes and ways of working and living with children. This second edition contains updated references to legislation and research underpinning children's rights, reflecting on recent scholarship and on the current world context. New research and examples are discussed around: - online protection and privacy - evaluating UK progress and the children's rights review by the United Nations - recent insights on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) - new debates about the construction and development of children's rights - new debates about the relationships between social exclusion and children's rights Recent developments in the definition of rights are considered from a variety of perspectives and in relation to different arenas of children's lives. This second edition brings an increased focus on exploring the notion of disjunction between the rhetoric of policy and legislation and the enacted and perceived experiences of children's rights. Themes discussed include power relations between adults and children, the child's voice, intercultural perspectives, social justice, gender and disability. Examples of research, activities, interviews with researchers and guidance on further reading make this an essential text for those studying childhood. Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Contents Introduction to New Childhoods Series Part I Debates, Dilemmas and Challenges: The Background to Children’s Rights 1 Introduction to Rethinking Children’s Rights Introduction and key questions Do societies see child rights in different ways? What do the different responses to the UNCRC reveal? What issues are emerging in relation to rethinking children’s rights? Emerging issues: the rights dynamic Emerging issues: a rights agenda Child rights agenda: example 1 Child rights agenda: example 2 Emerging issues: rights-informed approaches to relating to children Rights-informed ways of relating to children in healthcare How can negative responses to the rights agenda be used to help rethink children’s rights? Emerging issues: a divided response Emerging issues: tensions, spaces, relationships Emerging issues: a child rights veneer The presence of the UNCRC and negative responses Summary 2 Children’s Rights: Definitions and Developments Introduction and key questions Is there a common understanding of the term ‘right’? What are liberty rights? What are welfare rights? Rights and duties Moral and legal rights Is there a common understanding of the term ‘child’? What does the history of the UNCRC tell us about the tensions in thinking about children’s rights? What issues and tensions have emerged since the development of the UNCRC? Early criticisms and tensions Current issues and tensions What does research tell us about the state of children’s rights internationally and in the United Kingdom? The state of children’s rights in the United Kingdom Progress Threats Regression Improving the implementation of the UNCRC in the United Kingdom Summary Research details Example of research: duties and rights Example of research: asylum-seeking children Example of research: difference in interpretation Example of research: children’s views Example of research: legal implementation of children’s rights Example of research: rhetorical rights and lived rights Part II An Interdisciplinary Review of Recent Research and Scholarship 3 Children’s Rights: Current Tensions, Debates and Research Introduction and key questions What are current, emerging tensions and debates in relation to children’s rights? Can children’s rights evolve? Diversity and LGBTI children Are rights alone inadequate? What are some of the implications of these tensions? Tensions and debates: the UK opt-out of the UNCRC: an examination of a ‘divided response’ What is research showing us about tensions and debates concerning children’s rights? Tensions and debates: research and participation Tensions and debates: rights, provision and consent – rights-informed ways of relating to children Tensions and debates: rights and child protection – a rights agenda Summary Research details Example of research: rights, protection and privacy – tensions, spaces and relationships Example of research: lesbian, gay and bisexual young people Example of research: best interests, ‘maturity’ and consent Example of research: children, participation and a rights veneer Part III Implications for Children’s Lives 4 Rights and the Child’s Voice Introduction and key questions What is the meaning of ‘child’s voice’? How does ‘voice’ relate to rights? The danger of participation being romanticized What is research revealing about voice, participation and rights? The worth of children’s voices The ways that social exclusion silences children The dominance of adult-orientated ways of communicating and decision making Summary Further reading Research details Example of research: children’s perceptions of being involved in decisions that affect them Example of research: children with disabilities Example of research: consultation with young children Example of research: child’s voice and age Example of research and interview: Ask us too! Doing participatory research with disabled children in the global south 5 Rights and Decision Making Introduction and key questions In what ways does decision making feature in children’s lives? What is the relationship between children’s rights and decision making? Key points: spaces and norms in decision making processes What tensions are emerging concerning decision making and children? Social work and child protection Decision making: the complexities of policy and lived practice Decision making and participation rights in education: which school? From: the Scottish government’s ‘Deciding which school you would prefer your child to go to’ (2010) Children’s views Young people over 16 What does research reveal about the impact of new thinking and practice in relation to rights and decision making in different Example 1: rights, power and decision making and young children Example 2: youth involvement in public decision making Example 3: rights and decision making – a Norwegian perspective Summary Research details Example of research: children, participation and decision making in child protection Example of research: children, participation and decision making during cancer care Example of research: children’s views on participation Example of research: ‘how children become invisible in child protection work’ Example of research: literature review on child participation within child protection and welfare Example of research: survey on child rights 6 A Rights Perspective on Family Life Introduction and key questions How does the external context influence children’s experience in families? The influence of different expectations of the family The influence of the social, cultural and political context on the family The effects of the economic context on the family Research example: poverty and child labour What rights issues arise within families? What is the role of the state in relation to carers, children and their rights? The state’s role in supporting families’ provision for children The state and protection and participation How can we understand the relationship between children, families and rights? Summary Research details Example of research: rights, families and education Example of research: discipline and abuse Example of research: poverty and child labour Example of research: the effects of poverty Example of research: parents and online problematic situations for children Example of research: leading a double life within and outside the family Example of research: time poverty and income poverty Example of research: participation and protection Example of research: policy supporting children and families in the United Kingdom 7 Working with Children Introduction and key questions In what kinds of contexts does work with children occur? What rights issues arise for those working with children? Issues concerned with the holistic ideal of children’s rights Issues concerned with the political, economic and social pressures that impact on rights Issues concerned with the impact of inequalities on children’s rights Issues concerned with critiques of the UNCRC What can research tell us about developing positive relationships between children and those who work with them? Summary Research details Example of research: the effects of health policy in Ghana Example of research: the effects of discrimination Example of research: rights education Example of research: what children want from those who work with them Examples of research: children and decision making Positive example of working with children: spaces to play Appendix: UNICEF’s Summary of the Rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child References Index