Ask Them: Child Participation in the Development of Educational Services

Abstract

In accordance with Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC), we conducted a consultation process with 113 children between four and seven years of age from five different schools in Italy. We asked children to imagine their ideal school in guided conversations, drawings, and drawing descriptions. Their responses were organised into three thematic areas: (a) school quality, (b) purposes of early childhood education, and (c) activities to include in the school curriculum.  Consistent with literature on participatory research, this six-month consultation process demonstrates that even young children’s views can be useful to policy-making. Particular attention is given to the methodology.