Supporting Young Children’s Participation in Child Welfare

Karen Winter is Professor of Children’s Social Care at the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast. Gillian Ruch is Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the School of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex.

• 1. Introduction - Wendy Eerdekens and Karen Winter 2. Young children’s rights - Karen Winter3. Contextual influences on participation - Wendy Eerdekens, Eva Heirbaut, Karen Winter, Alicia Toal, Geraldine McGuigan Carmen Roncal Vargas, Manuel Ortíz Mateos, Inger Sofie Dahlø Husby and Randi Juul.4. The participation rights of infants and babies - Wendy Eerdekens and Eva Heirbaut5. Creative participatory approaches, methods and tools - Esther Mercado Garcia and Elin Hassel Iverson6. Listening and talking to young children outdoors - Inger Sofie Dahlø Husby, Pål Børmark and Solvår Hernes 7. Key principles in participation and collaboration with young children - Karen Winter and Gillian Ruch

“The right, and indeed necessity, of children and young people having a say in how their lives are shaped is increasingly embedded in social welfare legislation and policy. But moving from policy to practice remains a challenge. This book steps up to the challenge and its succinctness means that its messages and methods can be readily taken on board by those working with children and young people. It is well worth the time to delve into this inspiring text.” Emeritus Professor Ray Jones, Kingston University