Reviews - Rights and Responsibilities
I must admit, when I picked up this guide my first
reaction was to cringe. I saw the word 'everyone'
inserted in a handwritten font on the front cover and
thought that, yet again, some children are always an
afterthought when it comes to participation, and
wondered if this publication was going to do itself
justice by almost reinforcing that viewpoint. Of
course, that's not the viewpoint at all, and on further
inspection, I can recommend this as a useful guide to
children's participation.
I was glad to see a 'children's rights' approach threaded
throughout the book, and that the MAP standards on
page five, at least made some reference to attitudes; after
all, practicalities aside, if you can change people's
attitudes, then you're a long way to getting it right! The
structure of the book is simple, yet informative, and I
particularly liked the layout of the examples
given in the 'how to do it'
section; very accessible.
One of my bugbears within the
children's participation arena is
the constant belief children need
to be involved in adult meetings,
using adult agendas and adult
methodologies. When instead,
what we should be doing is looking
for methods that are child-friendly,
creative, and possibly use a playful
approach; in essence, the sort of stuff
children naturally find more attractive
and engaging. This book is a good
start in that direction.
Written by Philip Waters, author of 'The Buskers
Guide to Participation' (see review below!).
'Check it out' is a DVD and booklet about a group of children in Sheffield who carried out an
investigation into activities in their local area to see how accessible they were for children with
disabilities. I thought the concept was well thought through as it showed not just the practical
barriers like hoist and ramps but also how activities like a music session can be difficult to access
if thought is not put into how activities can be altered to include everyone.
The inclusion of children without disabilities in the group was a great idea as they told us the
general perceptions they had about what children with disabilities might not be able to do and their
surprise when they found that they could be included. It also showed how it's not just the practical
considerations like hoists that are important but also how key it is to recognise that children with
disabilities come with their own personal preferences like all non-disabled children do. I think that it
did a good job of stressing that inclusion is not always easy but also encourages you to think about
how you could offer more inclusive opportunities which are often taken for granted by non-disabled peers.
I found the whole piece really engaging and wish everyone who is in charge of planning leisure centres
and activities could see it as it may help to change their perceptions about inclusion. I would have liked
to see interviews with the activities they went to so they could show what changes were made and congratulate
the places that got it right and question the ones who needed more work about how they could change things
to make it better. Overall though I thought it was a good introduction to inclusion and how important it is.
The supporting booklet was a good reminder of the key points of the DVD that in most cases a 'can do' attitude
and a smile are often the small changes that make a big difference to inclusion.
Written by Laura Smyth of Yorda Adventures.
The book is aimed at all people working with Children & Young People, and
would really benefit those people that are new or already working in a
playwork setting. The book is a very informative and useful resource
giving a good insight to participation. The book is laid out well with a good
use of cartoons and humour to support the text. I would
recommend that playworkers new and old in childcare settings use
this useful resource to inform and perhaps change their views on participation.
Written by Louise Plant, Childcare Advisor (out of school) at Northamptonshire County Council.
This book starts from the premise that children have a right to be heard, and to
have their views taken into account, both from the point of view of being active
citizens in their own environment and on the understanding that having an
input into the play, care and learning helps to promote success. It draws on the
experience of Sure Start's Early Years Participation Project in Stockton on Tees.
They looked at how practitioners (mostly nurseries and primary schools)
encouraged participation and consulted with young children under five. They
collected examples of good practice, which can be found in the book. These
are written up as training activities, case studies, ideas and suggestions.
The book is aimed at anyone working with young children, and is relevant to a
range of settings - crèche, childminders etc. It sets out the rationale for
listening to children, and goes briefly into the legislation and theory - but this
is done in a very practical way, offering examples and ways of working that are simple yet creative.
The book deals with the challenging issue of effectively listening to young disabled children and those with
complex needs, and gives some sensible suggestions of ways of working including the use of cameras,
displays and stories. The overriding message is that in order to listen to children, it is important to get to
know them well and to acknowledge what is important to them. Lastly, there is an extremely comprehensive
list of resources including books, leaflets, websites and DVDs.
Written by Joanne Smith, Extended Services Project Officer, London Borough of Bexley.
This is a great little book which reminds
us that what we do should be done for
'all' children - giving them all a range of
choices and enabling them all. Also that
inclusion is about participation,
belonging and feeling welcome; not just
looking at the disability of an individual.
What you gain from this book is that
uncertainty is normal and being nervous
is to be expected. It shows the need to
be honest about our ignorance and ask
for help and advice from parents, as they
will know best what their child's wants and needs are. But
again; isn't this the same preparation and welcome we should
give each new individual child in our settings anyway?
What I liked most was the positive and inspiring approach for
practitioners whilst using simple everyday language and
experiences to explain. You feel like the person who wrote it
lived and worked in the 'real world' as opposed to so much
literature that makes suggestions and gives advice that we all
know and recognise as fantastic in an 'ideal world'.
It reminds us that impairment does not affect all children in the
same way, so there is only so much training and preparation
one can do in advance - so stop panicking! We need to
enable all children not just to have their individual needs met
but to have a good time. Focussing on not their problems but
remembering to focus on their interests, skills, enthusiasm and
personalities. This wonderful book simplifies what can be a
worrying and complex area in our settings. It reassures us that
what we are all thinking and doing is ok as long as we are
welcoming to all.
Written by Sarah Hunt, Clanfield Community Pre-School, Hampshire.
Links to other review sections:
Activities and Games,
Behaviour,
Management,
Outdoor Play,
Play,
Play in Schools,
Playwork Theory,
Play Therapy,
Playwork,
Rights and Responsibilities.
| 
