Safe, Inclusive Participative Pedagogy: Improving Early Childhood Education in Fragile Contexts
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Moray House School of Education
Abstract
Early childhood is a critical period for all children. It has been conclusively recognised by research that this period is significant for young children's rights in the here and now, for children's future educational, economic and health outcomes, and ultimately societal flourishing.
As attention to early childhood education increases, and governments across the world are moving to compulsory pre-school and early education, this is a pivotal moment for: a) understanding the challenges/opportunities for such provision in different cultural and political contexts; and b) radically rethinking future directions of early childhood education globally. We have significant questions to ask at this very time about the quality of learning experiences and professional support, how early childhood education can be culturally meaningful and appropriate, and ensuring it is affordable, inclusive and accessible.
This project responds to an urgent research need within four overseas development countries - Brazil, Eswatini, South Africa, and the West Bank and Gaza -- where new provision models are emerging in fragile contexts experiencing violence, inequalities and concentrated poverty. It builds on the innovation of the Brazilian academic partner (the International Centre International Centre for Research and Policy on Childhood at PUC-RIO), who researched how to strengthen and increase safe places of early learning for young children in two low-income communities in Rio de Janeiro (2014-17). Expanding from this, the academic partners in Brazil, Eswatini, South Africa, the West Bank & Gaza, and the UK will identify and develop safe, inclusive participative pedagogy that is implementable in fragile contexts and sustainable for governments, communities and families. While differing in socio-economic and cultural contexts, all four partner countries are poised for early childhood education development through national policy, are experiencing implementation quandaries and have fragile settings due to extreme and pervasive violence, inequalities and/or poverty.
To do so, the research will address these four questions:
1. In what ways and how do current policies, systems and organisations support inclusive participative pedagogy in fragile contexts?
2. What information, knowledge, expertise can be mobilised to understand fragile contexts and the threats, assets and opportunities for early childhood learning, young children and their families?
3. How can inclusive participative pedagogy become embedded and sustainable in communities, their formal and informal contexts, so as to support children's early learning?
4. Is there an economic case for inclusive participative pedagogy? If so, what are the relevant components and what are the short- and long-term costs and benefits?
Inclusive participative pedagogy is a novel concept, which this project will develop, test and challenge. It draws on the respective fields of early childhood pedagogy, inclusive education and violence prevention, and the combined disciplines of the research team which range from child development to public health to economics. It has the potential to provide the answers to the policy and practice questions about quality, culturally appropriate and accessible early childhood education for young children and their families.
Through this research, and its accompanying strategy to share learning and influence change, the project will substantially contribute to partner countries achieving their Sustainable Development Goals in terms of early and inclusive education and preventing violence against children.
As attention to early childhood education increases, and governments across the world are moving to compulsory pre-school and early education, this is a pivotal moment for: a) understanding the challenges/opportunities for such provision in different cultural and political contexts; and b) radically rethinking future directions of early childhood education globally. We have significant questions to ask at this very time about the quality of learning experiences and professional support, how early childhood education can be culturally meaningful and appropriate, and ensuring it is affordable, inclusive and accessible.
This project responds to an urgent research need within four overseas development countries - Brazil, Eswatini, South Africa, and the West Bank and Gaza -- where new provision models are emerging in fragile contexts experiencing violence, inequalities and concentrated poverty. It builds on the innovation of the Brazilian academic partner (the International Centre International Centre for Research and Policy on Childhood at PUC-RIO), who researched how to strengthen and increase safe places of early learning for young children in two low-income communities in Rio de Janeiro (2014-17). Expanding from this, the academic partners in Brazil, Eswatini, South Africa, the West Bank & Gaza, and the UK will identify and develop safe, inclusive participative pedagogy that is implementable in fragile contexts and sustainable for governments, communities and families. While differing in socio-economic and cultural contexts, all four partner countries are poised for early childhood education development through national policy, are experiencing implementation quandaries and have fragile settings due to extreme and pervasive violence, inequalities and/or poverty.
To do so, the research will address these four questions:
1. In what ways and how do current policies, systems and organisations support inclusive participative pedagogy in fragile contexts?
2. What information, knowledge, expertise can be mobilised to understand fragile contexts and the threats, assets and opportunities for early childhood learning, young children and their families?
3. How can inclusive participative pedagogy become embedded and sustainable in communities, their formal and informal contexts, so as to support children's early learning?
4. Is there an economic case for inclusive participative pedagogy? If so, what are the relevant components and what are the short- and long-term costs and benefits?
Inclusive participative pedagogy is a novel concept, which this project will develop, test and challenge. It draws on the respective fields of early childhood pedagogy, inclusive education and violence prevention, and the combined disciplines of the research team which range from child development to public health to economics. It has the potential to provide the answers to the policy and practice questions about quality, culturally appropriate and accessible early childhood education for young children and their families.
Through this research, and its accompanying strategy to share learning and influence change, the project will substantially contribute to partner countries achieving their Sustainable Development Goals in terms of early and inclusive education and preventing violence against children.
Planned Impact
Who will benefit from the research?
The project will make a substantial contribution to the 4 Overseas Development Aid partner countries - Brazil, Eswatini, South Africa and West Bank and Gaza - meeting their Sustainable Development Goals in terms of inclusive and equitable quality education (Targets 4.2, 4a) and ending violence against children (Target 16.2). It will directly benefit policy-makers (politicians and officials) at these countries' national and local levels, early years providers and practitioners, and non-governmental and community-based organisations, by supporting them to meet these Sustainable Development Goals. Ultimately, the project aims to improve the welfare and economic outcomes of young children and their families, for improved early child education, in these countries. Further, the project will share its learning and capacity-building more widely, with other Overseas Development Aid countries.
How will they benefit from the research?
The project has developed in concept and design from the existing partnerships within each country, between the research team and local and national research users. These partnerships identify that the project comes at a pivotal moment, with Governments' support for early child education but implementation complications and difficulties in quality early child education, particularly in fragile contexts. The project will have direct benefits for improving early child education within the 4 case study communities (one in each country, each a fragile context) and more widely in developing, testing and sharing the concept and application of safe, inclusive participative pedagogy locally, nationally and cross-nationally for early child education providers and practitioners. The project will investigate the burden of violence in the early years on children's subsequent learning and transition to formal education, which will aid the investment case for countries who are developing their early child education in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
What will be done to ensure that they have the opportunity to benefit from this activity?
Each country has an embedded strategy to ensure locally and nationally the benefits are achieved. National and local stakeholders will be engaged from the start, with three 'Think Tank' stakeholder meetings planned throughout the project and establishing community-based project advisory groups of children and parents/ carers. They will shape the locally-relevant outputs and knowledge exchange activities that will make a difference in their communities and countries, with project resources set aside to do so. The learning will be shared more widely, with other early years stakeholders in Overseas Development Aid countries, through virtual communication (websites, social media, webinars, audio-visual resource, capitalising on existing networks), capacity building and resource development (including developing a training module through a Winter/ Summer School and parallel regional workshops), and utilising regional and global networks to amplify the research outputs (including 10 accessible briefings and films). The project will use a form of contribution analysis, facilitated by the external agency Matter of Focus, to ensure impact plans are in place from the start, are effective and focused, as well as providing the framework for evaluation.
The project will make a substantial contribution to the 4 Overseas Development Aid partner countries - Brazil, Eswatini, South Africa and West Bank and Gaza - meeting their Sustainable Development Goals in terms of inclusive and equitable quality education (Targets 4.2, 4a) and ending violence against children (Target 16.2). It will directly benefit policy-makers (politicians and officials) at these countries' national and local levels, early years providers and practitioners, and non-governmental and community-based organisations, by supporting them to meet these Sustainable Development Goals. Ultimately, the project aims to improve the welfare and economic outcomes of young children and their families, for improved early child education, in these countries. Further, the project will share its learning and capacity-building more widely, with other Overseas Development Aid countries.
How will they benefit from the research?
The project has developed in concept and design from the existing partnerships within each country, between the research team and local and national research users. These partnerships identify that the project comes at a pivotal moment, with Governments' support for early child education but implementation complications and difficulties in quality early child education, particularly in fragile contexts. The project will have direct benefits for improving early child education within the 4 case study communities (one in each country, each a fragile context) and more widely in developing, testing and sharing the concept and application of safe, inclusive participative pedagogy locally, nationally and cross-nationally for early child education providers and practitioners. The project will investigate the burden of violence in the early years on children's subsequent learning and transition to formal education, which will aid the investment case for countries who are developing their early child education in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
What will be done to ensure that they have the opportunity to benefit from this activity?
Each country has an embedded strategy to ensure locally and nationally the benefits are achieved. National and local stakeholders will be engaged from the start, with three 'Think Tank' stakeholder meetings planned throughout the project and establishing community-based project advisory groups of children and parents/ carers. They will shape the locally-relevant outputs and knowledge exchange activities that will make a difference in their communities and countries, with project resources set aside to do so. The learning will be shared more widely, with other early years stakeholders in Overseas Development Aid countries, through virtual communication (websites, social media, webinars, audio-visual resource, capitalising on existing networks), capacity building and resource development (including developing a training module through a Winter/ Summer School and parallel regional workshops), and utilising regional and global networks to amplify the research outputs (including 10 accessible briefings and films). The project will use a form of contribution analysis, facilitated by the external agency Matter of Focus, to ensure impact plans are in place from the start, are effective and focused, as well as providing the framework for evaluation.
Publications
Biersteker L
(2023)
In whose best interests? The ECD regulatory framework, understandings of the best interests of the young child and access to quality early education
in South African Journal on Human Rights
Blaisdell C
(2021)
The emotional relations of children's participation rights in diverse social and spatial contexts: Advancing the field
in Emotion, Space and Society
Bruselius-Jensen M.
(2021)
Revisiting young people's participation: An introduction
in Young People's Participation: Revisiting Youth and Inequalities in Europe
Bruselius-Jensen M.
(2021)
Young people's participation: Revisiting youth and inequalities in Europe
in Young People's Participation: Revisiting Youth and Inequalities in Europe
Cuevas-Parra P
(2022)
Investing in activism: Learning from children's actions to stop child marriage
in Childhood
McMellon C
(2020)
Children and Young People's Participation Rights: Looking Backwards and Moving Forwards
in The International Journal of Children's Rights
McNair L
(2022)
The Impact of the Covid-19 Global Health Pandemic in Early Childhood Education Within Four Countries
in Social Inclusion
Reid K
(2022)
Children's rights impact assessments in times of crisis: learning from COVID-19
in The International Journal of Human Rights
| Title | A campaign on child safety and protection - Aida Refugee Camp, West Bank |
| Description | 8 mothers living in the refugee camp met weekly for 12 months to create the campaign. Participants went through a process of using arts to shed lights on child safety within their context. Participants presented their work in front of the community where 50 people attended and discussed possibilities for activism. An ethical statement was developed which call for a commitment to stop violence against children and respect their right to safety |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Leaders of the campaign decided to share their experience with mothers in other refugee camps, and marginalised areas. two new centers were pleased to invite the group of women and children to present to them so they could learn from their experience in order to adopt similar methodologies and processes. |
| Title | A child play on violence in the West Bank |
| Description | 8 children ages 6-8 met weekly for 8 months to develop the play. In addition to developing the scenario of the play, children were trained on how to lead and facilitate the discussion with the young audience. The play was presented twice where 57 children attended and shared ideas in the discussions that follows. |
| Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | After developing the play, children were engaged in a leadership program in which some of them suggested moving ahead and working on a community project. Main objective: to protect their friends in school by raising awareness on child safety and protection |
| Title | Black Girls: the Story of My Black |
| Description | One CIESPI staff member, her daughter, and two other authors published their story "Black Girls: the Story of My Black, an account of two young girls dealing with severe racial discrimination at school because of their hair. CIESPI published the book and is exploring ways for it to reach a national audience to help young black girls facing similar discrimination. |
| Type Of Art | Creative Writing |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | ongoing |
| Title | Choosing an ECE Centre: a leaflet |
| Description | Developed at the request of parents and in partnership with True North, a third sector community partner organisation for the SIPP project, this is a leaflet for parents to make informed decisions about which Early Childhood Education Centre to send their child to. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Parents in Vrygrond have a resource that supports them to make informed decisions about their children's early education. Parents feel listened to and respected. |
| Title | Listening to Children in Brazil about Covid |
| Description | Part of the CIESPI SIPP team worked with a small group of other organizations from the National Coalition on Early Childhood to use creative methods to elicit children's views. The project, "Listening to Children" created a video where adults interviewed children about the impact of Covid 19 on their lives. The children were asked two questions: What do you think about this pandemic and what you feel about the pandemic. The replies were such as "I hate the pandemic; I cannot leave the house and I cannot play with my friends". "It is horrible, I have to use a mask all the time." The video, to which we will add English subtitles for an international audience, is a vivid lesson in how articulate and passionate children can be about the situations they are facing and hence an encouragement for all researchers to use such methods to permit child participation. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Impact | None as yet, but discussions are underway to use the video to facilitate asynchronous discussion between children in different cultural contexts. |
| Title | Msunduza Toy Library |
| Description | Informed by findings from the SIPP project, with particular reference to the lack of appropriate resources in Early Childhood Centres in Msunduza, the research team in Eswatini developed the first toy library in the country. The library is stocked with inclusive toys and resources that ECE Centres in Msunduza can borrow or can take children to play in. ECE Centres from outside of Msunduza can also register to borrow resources. The library was launched at the beginning of December 2023 by the Swazi Minister of Education. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Members of the Eswatini Parliament have expressed the intention to create similar toy libraries in other areas of the country. |
| Description | 'Safe Inclusive Participative Pedagogies: Early Childhood Education in Fragile Settings' (SIPP) has made important and demonstrable social and economic impacts with its country partners, contributing towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality and inclusivity. This has been realised by establishing governmental and community partnerships, since the project began in January 2020. SIPP works with academic and community partners in 4 ODA countries: Brazil, Eswatini, Palestine and South Africa. The current conflict in Gaza, and more broadly in Palestine, has changed the context dramatically for the project's work in Palestine. At the time of submission, the Palestinian team are providing exceptional support for their community case study sites. The narrative below largely reflects the project's work in Palestine up until October 2023. Societal and economic impact of the award on the DAC list countries The SIPP project to date has directly encouraged Early Childhood Education (ECE) development within its community case studies, with societal impacts. These indirectly have economic impacts, in fostering parents' and particularly women's ability to take on paid employment and providing paid employment opportunities within ECE. The project's focus on safe, inclusive participative pedagogies has specifically had impact on ECE practice and family relationships within the focus communities. Further, partner country teams are currently influencing policy and service development at local and national levels, with societal impact. As further detailed in the common question set, all partner countries developed partnerships with local organisations and stakeholders within their case study community in order to ensure effectiveness and sustainability. • In South Africa, a strong partnership with a third sector organisation, True North, resulted in an active community advisory group. This group has fostered new and stronger interagency connections, benefitting ECE provision, and child well-being more broadly. The community advisory group has used the research findings to develop its own community impact plan based on changes that they would like to have in the community. In partnership with True North and based on research findings, the South African research team has developed guidance for parents to help them choose an Early Childhood Education Centre for their child. The research team is working with True North to identify books for young children that reflect the research themes and findings and to create a short film that will promote using these books to parents and educators. • The University of Eswatini worked closely with National Children Services Department (the Eswatini Government's coordinating agency for children's issues), the SOS Children's Villages Eswatini and Alliance of Mayors Initiative on Community Action on AIDS at The Local Level, to undertake their community fieldwork and make connections between data being collected from different sources. Building on the project's findings, the project identified that Early Childhood Education Centres in Msunduza lacked resources to support inclusive play and developed a toy library (the first in the country) which was launched in December 2023 and is garnering considerable interest from national stakeholders for potential replication throughout Eswatini. • Bethlehem University has had strong relationships with three communities over the project's span. In Masarah village, a partnership between the research team and community members resulted in the establishment of an ongoing childcare setting within a local centre, managed by the community and with children supported to take active roles in decision-making and implementation (December 2020 onwards). In 2021, two partnerships were established with Thabra village, with a campaign to rehabilitate a caravan for parent-child activities, and the Aida Refugee Camp where, in addition to research activities, workshops have been provided to promote participative ECE pedagogy. In the Refugee Camp, the research team has observed that, where mothers previously acted on behalf of their children and rarely engaged with the kindergarten, they are now playing an active role in their young children's education, both engaging with their children's experiences and engaging with ECE professionals. A group of women led a campaign to end violence in the camp, with a particular focus on violence in educational settings and for mothers and children travelling to and from school. As part of their campaign, they held an exhibition. This work has, however, been severely impacted by the current political situation in the West Bank. • The International Center for Research and Policy on Childhood at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CIESPI at PUC-Rio) has worked closely with a community advisory committee involving key partners locally and a youth action group. Members of the research team lived within the case study community and built trust between the community and CIESPI. The Brazilian research team facilitated five community dialogue circles to discuss improving the early childhood context in Rocina. These events brought the community together for the first time to discuss how to improve the context of early childhood development and resulted in a community-led list of priorities for action which the community is now working on. CIESPI is also working with the group Collective in Rio de Janeiro (a coalition of favelas) to include young children in the local agenda. • The Brazilian team worked with local media and resources (Rocinha Resists Community Radio Katana, the community newspaper Fala Roça and the museum Sankof) to facilitate key conversations about improving the context of early childhood education in the community that set the stage for more intense priority planning in year 4 of the project. They have worked with the Cultural Map of Rocinha to ensure that early childhood resources and facilities are included on the map which is available online for free download. • The CIESPI project Troop of Players (Trupe Brincante), young people trained in the project to play with and listen to children, have engaged with 130 children in 'Playful Encounter' events in 13 different Early Childhood Education Centres. Not only is this having immediate impacts, addressing the additional family and community pressures after COVID-19, but the plan is for sustainable impact, with the young activists' commitment to long-term community contributions and future work in ECE. SIPP provides a framework for the research team to learn from each other and to build cross-national partnerships that link these contexts. We are finalising cross-national briefing papers and short films from the project, for knowledge exchange with ECE practitioners and communities. SIPP is developing and strengthening links with existing networks and partnerships related to ECE. For example, as a result of the SIPP project, CIESPI team members have intensified their engagement with several key local and national institutions: CIESPI team members are key members of the national childhood coalition for Brazil (RNPI National Coalition on Early Childhood, with over 250 organisations); CIESPI contributes expert advice to the Children's Rights Council of Rio and of Sao Goncalo; and CIESPI established a campaign to encourage parents to vaccinate young children, after identifying this as a need during SIPP fieldwork. Bethlehem University has strong connections across Palestine and the Arab region. A member of the research team has links with The Qattan Institute and together they had developed plans to use findings from and approaches developed in SIPP to build activity programmes in more remote regions of the West Bank. The research team was working with the Arab Network on Early Years to develop online learning opportunities across the region. At the time of writing, members of the team are working on trauma-informed interventions for young children affected by the conflict. In South Africa, the Children's Institute is a founding member of a coalition advocating law reform to improve ECD provision (Real Reform for ECD) and has presented on opportunities to strengthen ECE policy to the coalition members. The Institute works with the Children's Commissioner in the Western Cape, the region where the case community is located. University of Eswatini is working closely with the National Children's Services Department to ensure the collection of useful ECE data in the country and with recently elected Members of Parliament to promote the importance of ECE and bring the value of ECE into the national policy discourse Sustainability Development Goals The project is an 'accelerator' in addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), as it works across a number of key SDGs. Sustainable Development Goal 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. (especially Targets 4.2, 4.a and 16.2) SIPP contributes to this SDG through demonstrating the economic case for ECE, influencing policy, and direct participatory research in the four case study communities. Impacts are evident at the current stage of the project. As described above, a Childhood Centre has been established in Masarah village (December 2020). The village had lacked ECE provision for children below the age of 4. In response to engaging with the project's preliminary scoping, including establishing a community advisory group and undertaking a needs assessment survey, the community donated space in the women's centre building to act as a Childhood Centre. Reflecting the diverse population of Palestine, in 2021 Bethlehem University also began working with two other communities including the Aida Refugee Camp where they are supporting staff, volunteers and parents from the Youth Centre to build capacity to support ECE. While limited ECE provision was available in these two communities, the research team has been able to explore new ways of working in line with the project themes. The research team led a review of the Early Years teaching curriculum at the University of Bethlehem. The government of Eswatini's Early Childhood Care and Development and Education (ECCDE) Policy has been in draft form since 2009. It transpires from consultation with UNICEF that the policy development has been put on hold. UNICEF has supported the mapping of the ECCDE centres in the country through funding support from Global Partnership for Education. This mapping exercise established the ECCDE scope in the country and also determined gaps and challenges faced by these centres. The SIPP project in Eswatini is in constant consultation with UNICEF, National Children Services Department and Ministry of Education and Training (where two members of the Eswatini SIPP team are currently employed) to keep track of the process and establish where they can contribute. Keeping ECE on the agenda has been particularly important in the previous year with the election of a new Parliament and University of Eswatini has worked hard to ensure that new Members of Parliament are aware of ECE issues through a national conference and the high profile launch, by the Minister of Education, of the country's first toy library. Members of the SIPP team from CIESPI have been advising two municipal Children's Rights Councils. A Rights Council is a federally mandated body that acts at the municipal, state and federal levels to develop and monitor policies for children and youth. Changes have been made to the Plan based on SIPP findings. The CIESPI SIPP team engaged with members of the National Coalition on Early Childhood to promote early childhood issues in the run-up to state and municipal elections. The CIESPI team contacted candidates in 2 municipalities with information about key early childhood issues and asked the candidates to sign a letter of commitment to prioritise early childhood. After the election in November 2022, several CIESPI team members participated in research meetings with government representatives to help set priorities for public policies. In South Africa, a member of the SIPP team from the Children's Institute presented learning from SIPP at a curriculum planning workshop for Takalani Sesame - the South African version of Sesame Street. This show is popular in communities and widely used by practitioners as educational support material. The workshop provided guidance related to suitable content for the next season of Takalani Sesame and the outreach component to teachers and parents. In relation to SDG 16.2 ('end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children'), in particular, SIPP is completing an economic case, showing the burden of violence in early childhood on children's subsequent learning and transition to formal education. A public webinar on this workstream was held on 7th September 2023. Sustainable Development Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development: Significant effort was made to support the SIPP team and the wider key Early Childhood Education (ECE) partners, as all partner countries were highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Dec 2020, a celebration of the project's achievements was held that included the academic team plus third sector representatives (South Africa), staff from Ministry of Education (Eswatini), International organisations (Eswatini) and field researchers/ community members (Brazil, Palestine). Subsequent webinars have shared findings from policy (December 2021) and initial community case study fieldwork (September 2021) again with academic and policy stakeholders. Drawing from a June 2021 webinar on COVID, early career and established researchers from all country teams contributed to a peer reviewed journal article, published in Social Inclusion (February 2022). A further co-authored publication has been published in a special journal issue of British Education Research Journal (September 2022) and a special journal issue with Children & Society has been awarded, led by SIPP team members. Findings have been shared in cross-national presentations, at such conferences as International Society for Children's Indicators (May 2022), European Early Childhood Education Research Association (Aug 2022) and the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect (Sept 2023). Monthly meetings are facilitated for the SIPP team to share information and discussion about creative research methods that we are using in the community case studies and wider research. The project emphasises capacity building across the teams and builds opportunities for team members to learn from each other: for example opportunities for team members to receive training to review academic papers for the 'burden of violence' literature review. As further detailed in the common question set, all partner countries have developed partnerships with local organisations and stakeholders within their case study community in order to ensure effectiveness and sustainability. Three country teams (Brazil, South Africa and UK) have further built on their children's rights partnerships, involving both early career and established researchers, to be part of the Management Committee for the successful 7 year Partnership grant for the International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (2021-2028). Gender Equality • Measures to ensure equal and meaningful opportunities for people of different genders to be involved SIPP ensures equal and meaningful opportunities for people of different genders to be involved. This is built into the community fieldwork, in ensuring equitable participation by gender of both children and carers. One example of this is mothers in the three Palestinian communities who approached the research team seeking support for ECE and received support based on their expressed needs (support to develop spaces for ECE in Masarah and Thabra, and capacity building/training in Aida Refugee Camp). • Impacts of the project on people of different genders SIPP's research team is providing opportunities for female leadership --including the PI, key leadership in every country team and many of the workstreams being women, and several early career researchers -- representing a positive shift in development research funding. Research now conclusively demonstrates that quality ECE improves outcomes particularly for those most disadvantaged (1). Thus the focus on safe and inclusive pedagogy in ECE is particularly advantageous in contexts where girls face potential inequalities. For example, in South Africa girls' and boys' experiences in early learning programmes are for the most part gendered and there is little attention to the importance of a gender-responsive pedagogy to equip children to benefit from schooling and to mitigate against gender-based violence later on. Safe and inclusive ECE protects children from gender-based violence (2). The role of schools in protecting children from violence is increasingly well established, and this recognition is being extended to ECE. For example, violence was endemic in the Brazilian community (favela) before COVID-19 and CIESPI's consultations have found accelerated domestic and community violence experienced by young children and their families. The community consultations have prioritised the need for ECE to address these issues. The ECE workforce is dominated by women in all 4 countries. The ECE sector is fragile, largely informal and has experienced widespread job losses following COVID-19. The project's focus on sustainable ECE, co-produced to maximise community and other resources, will support the female ECE workforce. ECE provision supports mothers, who in all 4 countries and case communities provide the majority of domestic care for young children. Built into SIPP is recognition and support of the role of mothers and other female kin carers, while also considering men's contributions. Demands have only grown since the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased rates of domestic instability and violence and rises in unemployment and poverty (3). Therefore SIPP team members have increased their focus on ECE within the home and family. In June 2021, SIPP held a successful public webinar on the impact of COVID-19's impact on how women and children in the community case studies have experienced the effects of the pandemic disproportionately due to historical marginalisation based on politics, poverty, racism and colonialism. The WS 5's systematic review considers studies that report on the consequences of any of the mentioned forms of violence perpetrated against children aged five and below, including but not limited to child physical abuse, gender based violence, domestic violence, community violence, child maltreatment, child sexual abuse, rape, child emotional abuse, witnessing violence. The decision was taken by the team to include violence against unborn children in these reviews. The research team are conducting subgroup analysis to check if the consequences of violence against children vary with the participant characteristics (age, gender etc). • Impact on the relations between people of different genders and people of the same gender As above. Aspects of ECE provision (e.g. learning and play), violence and safety, female employment are highly relational. Thus SIPP outcomes will directly impact on relationships between people of different genders and people of the same gender, with the aim of positive societal and economic impacts. Specific activities by team members are having societal impact. For example, CIESPI supported a mother and her young daughter to create a story book "Black Girls: the Story of My Black', an account of two young girls dealing with severe racial discrimination at school because of their hair. The aim is for the book to reach a national audience to help young black girls facing similar discrimination, and in the meantime CIESPI staff note the positive impact that telling their story and having it made into a published book has had on the mothers and daughters. Another example is the Campaign Against Violence in the Aida Refugee Camp in the West Bank. This is led by a group of women concerned about the threat of violence as they take their children to and from school. • How any risks and unintended negative consequences on gender equality have been avoided or mitigated against and monitored As part of its ethical approach, country teams are aware of power dynamics within communities and families in relation to gender. They are thus careful in terms of the methodologies used to ensure that power dynamics are suitably addressed. CIESPI's youth action group, who are being trained to work with young children, are more than half young women. The Campaign Against Violence undertaken at the Aida Refugee Camp is led by mothers and focuses on the places in the community where they and their children spend time. • Any relevant outcomes and outputs being measured, with data disaggregated by age and gender SIPP records the gender of participants in its community advisory groups in each country, and age and gender of community case study fieldwork participants. Age and gender are key components of WS 5 work on the economic case for ECE as stated above. • Any other impacts related to equality, diversity and inclusion In terms of the project's operations, recruitment of new research team members (Brazil, Palestine and South Africa) was undertaken in light of equalities requirements. In particular, efforts have been made to ensure that the research teams reflect the ethnicities of the communities in which they will be working. The University of Eswatini has built its capacity as a team, during 2022 and 2023, particularly in fieldwork with young children and qualitative data analysis, working with local specialist consultants and linking with expertise across the SIPP team. Training opportunities have been offered on conducting systematic reviews, to at least one team member from each ODA country team. Secondary impacts As detailed in the common questions set, SIPP has fostered further collaborations. These include: the Children's Institute's partnership with Boston University, receiving seed funding to expand work in Vrygrond South Africa on violence prevention in families with young children; a successful funding application for UK collaboration with team members in Colombia, for a social enterprise pilot with marginalised Afrocolombian and Indigenous young people in the Colombian Pacific (2021),(2022) and (2023); a Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the Basque Government, at the University of Edinburgh, addressing ECE (2021-23); funding for Childlight, the Global Child Safety Institute (2021-2027); a successful grant application for the Mobile Arts for Peace (2022-24); and an ECE pedagogical programme in Scotland, Greece and the Czech Republic, funded by the Froebel Trust (2021-2024). Conclusion SIPP faced immense and unexpected pressures when needing to cut 60% of its budget from April 2021 to March 2022, at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a credit to the SIPP team that they prioritised ensuring early career researchers' employment, the community case study fieldwork and to continue with the project. SIPP has substantially impacted all 4 ODA country contexts and especially in the case study communities. SIPP is successfully meeting its research objectives, building strong partnerships with communities and stakeholders, and sharing its findings through webinars and publications. In its final months, its plans are being realised for impact and creating useful outputs (both within cultural contexts and across the whole project) targeted at the full range of ECE stakeholders including children, families, practitioners and policy-makers. (1) Garcia, J. L., Heckman, J.J., Leaf, D.E., Prados, M. (2017) 'Quantifying the Life-cycle Benefits of a Prototypical Early Childhood Program'. Cambridge: MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. Doi: 10.3386/w23479. (2) https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2015/12/gender-equality-child-development-job-creation (3) https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S1473-3099%2820%2930568-5; Oliveira, A.C., Paiva, A.R., Rizzini, I. (2020) As/os assistentes sociais na linha de frente: violência e violações de direitos na pandemia da COVID-19. In: LOLE, Inez; STAMPA, Inez; GOMES, Rodrigo L.R. (orgs.). Para Além da Quarentena: Reflexões sobre Crise e Pandemia (E-book). Mórula Editorial, junho 2020. ISBN: 978-65-86464-15-3 |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice,Other |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Connected Children partnership programme |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Development of practice and policy. |
| URL | https://lnu.se/en/research/research-projects/project-connected-children-partnership/#:~:text=Connect... |
| Description | Early childood resources added to the Cultural Map of Rocinha |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Many parents in Rocinha are not award of what resources exist for young children. This activity deals with that problem. The audience is anyone who downloads the online cultural map, potentially the entire population of Rocinha or 150,000 people. |
| URL | https://www.falaroca.com/mapa/ |
| Description | Establishing safe play spaces in Vrygrond |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | One park was completed in late 2023 and an ecogarden was started at the community centre for child learning purposes. A second park will be established at the community library. ECE centres book sessions at these facilities. |
| Description | Influencing content and outreach for the next season of Takalani Sesame |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Influencing content and outreach for the next season of Takalani Sesame |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Mitigating the effects of violence for children in informal settlements in Cape Town |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Training teachers on child development and needs |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The center's academic program adopted pedagogies and tools that been used. Teachers developed InterVision plans that improved academic difficulties among kids in their program. |
| Description | Where is the voice of Scotland's babies?: Towards an arts-based methodology for participation with pre- and non-verbal children |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Developing competencies in practitioners and policymakers, to engage with young children and support their participation rights. |
| URL | https://starcatchers.org.uk/work/the-voice-of-the-child/ |
| Description | Working with Collective in Rio de Janeiro (a coalition of favelas) to include young children in the local agenda |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | • Members of SIPP team appointed to the working group of the Rio de Janeiro Children's Rights Council to revise the Municipal Plan for Early Childhood. |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Description | Basque Government Postdoctoral Fellowship, Spain |
| Amount | € 46,000 (EUR) |
| Organisation | Basque Government |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Spain |
| Start | 03/2021 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Challenge Investment Fund |
| Amount | £9,653 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2022 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | Changing The Story (Arts and Humanities Research Council) Follow on Funding |
| Amount | £25,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2022 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | Children as innovators: harnessing the creative expertise of children to address practical and psychosocial challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic |
| Amount | € 198,693 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | COV19-2020-017 |
| Organisation | Health Research Board (HRB) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Ireland |
| Start | 01/2021 |
| End | 01/2023 |
| Description | Co-creating a social enterprise pilot with marginalised Afrocolombian and Indigenous young people in the Colombian Pacific |
| Amount | £32,680 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Government of Scotland |
| Department | Scottish Funding Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2021 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | Froebel Trust Hub and Spoke Programme, UK |
| Amount | £294,313 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Froebel Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2021 |
| End | 08/2024 |
| Description | International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership, Partnership Grant |
| Amount | $2,499,993 (CAD) |
| Funding ID | 895-2021-1003 |
| Organisation | Government of Canada |
| Department | SSHRC - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Canada |
| Start | 03/2021 |
| End | 03/2028 |
| Description | Policy Assessment on National Governance and Infrastructures supporting children and young people's collective participation in decision-making |
| Amount | £14,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | World Vision |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 04/2023 |
| End | 09/2023 |
| Description | Research Network on Children's Human Rights |
| Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 02/2026 |
| Description | UKRI ODA Impact and Development Grant |
| Amount | £29,980 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2023 |
| End | 10/2023 |
| Description | Collaboration between University of Eswatini and Swaziland National Trust Commission (SNTC) |
| Organisation | Swaziland National Trust Commission |
| Country | Swaziland |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | A member of the research team (Dr Fortunate Shabalala) sits on their Board of Directors |
| Collaborator Contribution | A member of staff presented on cultural aspects of childhood in Eswatini in a SIPP webinar. |
| Impact | Presentation at SIPP webinar |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Partnership between Bethlehem University and The Arab Network on Early Years |
| Organisation | Arab Network for Early Childhood Development |
| Country | Lebanon |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Planning online learning opportunities to share learning and experience from the SIPP project. Discussions about a webinar run by the SIPP team are well underway but have been delayed by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Providing an exciting regional platform for SIPP team to share learning and build on connections |
| Impact | None as yet. The partnership includes academics, practitioners and policy makers |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Partnership between CIESPI and Rio Council on Children's Rights |
| Organisation | Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro |
| Country | Brazil |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Attending regular meetings and consultation between these meetings |
| Collaborator Contribution | Rio Council on Children's Rights has responsibility for setting annual children's agenda and monitoring policies. CIESPI was a key partner, working with Rio Council on Children's Rights, in writing Rio's first plan for Early Childhood and now assisting in revision of plan. |
| Impact | Rio's first plan for Early Childhood |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Partnership between Children's Institute, University of Cape Tow in South African and True North |
| Organisation | True North |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Contributions from Children's Institute, University of Cape Town: contributions in the form of research knowledge and expertise, particularly in the area of child participation methodologies, ability to train, coach and mentor staff and community members in suitable participatory approaches and research methods, knowledge of the ECD sector, key government role-players and other decision-makers, knowledge and expertise in ECD programmes and interventions, financial contribution to staff time on the project is planned. |
| Collaborator Contribution | In-kind contribution from True North in the form of experience, knowledge and 'know-how' in relation to working in and influencing the case study community; access to key, influential community stakeholders; community development and ECD centre-based programming expertise |
| Impact | It is still too early in the partnership to note distinct outcomes. However, meetings have focused on stakeholder mapping processes in order to identify influential stakeholders who should be involved/approached for the project advisory group. Outcomes thus far relate to a deeper understanding of the dynamics and relationships between community ECD stakeholders, who the key stakeholders are and the services they offer in the site, and the challenges and obstacles to ECD service delivery in the site. Meetings have also focussed on the SIPP project outcomes mapping and joint discussion on these elements. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | "Quality Early Childhood Development in South Africa: A Call to Action 27 - 29 September 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The event was attended by ECD principals and teachers, ECD activists, NPOs, TVET colleges, academics, researchers, education department officials and staff, City of Cape Town as well as donors, to attend and to contribute. The event set itself the following goals: connect, inspire and act. 1. Connect - different stakeholders involved in ECD were connected and learning from each other. 2. Inspire - Many participants reflected on how the conference inspired them to think and act differently. 3. Act - participants reflected on how they have managed to build networks and collaborations. After this event we were invited to speak and participate on another event SIPP presentation: Gwele, Biersteker, Berry and Orgill (2023) , Building a common understanding of quality ECE: Hearing from practitioners, caregivers and children "Conference on Quality Early Childhood Development in South Africa: A Call to Action. Cape Town. (27 - 29 September 2023) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.qualityecdconference.co.za/ |
| Description | A presentation at Biennial Conference Study of Early Education and Development Zhuhai, China |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Key note speech at Conference. Subsequent visits to kindergartens. Ongoing conversations about future research and KE work with Chinese hosts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | http://fe.english.bnu.edu.cn/html/003/1/202308/661.shtml#:~:text=To%20exchange%20knowledge%20with%20... |
| Description | A presentation at Shenzhen University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of child-led research methodology to mixed, interdisciplinary audience. Sparked discussion of methodology and ongoing discussions of future research etc. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Bridge Community of Practice stakeholder meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on the Children's Act and Children's Amendment Bill challenges associated with ECD programme provision. The intention was to inform stakeholders and motivate them to make submissions to parliament toward reform of the law. Several stakeholders participated in a drive to collectively develop and submit submissions to call for legal reform for ECD. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | CIESPI SIPP bulletins |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A set of 4 newsletters written in Portuguese and translated into English looking at sharing findings and learning from the SIPP project beyond academia. Distributed these 4 bulletins on results of project so far emphasizing the views of parents, teachers, and community reference people to promote debate and action and the laws behind early childhood mandates. This together with participation in community webinars is provoking a new level of interest and awareness of early childhood issues. Local activists interviewed for the project tell us that they were newly encouraged by conversations with us and saw new avenues for action. Four additional bulletins were distributed in 2022: Project Bulletin 6: The views of the parents and responsible adults about the safety, inclusion and participation of young children in their education and in the community. Project Bulletin 7: The results of conversations with young children in Rocinha about safety, inclusion and participation. Project Bulletin 8: The views of early childhood teachers on the safety, inclusion and participation of young children in their education and the community. In December 2022, we published the CIESPI Research and Policy Bulletin # 12 focusing of the results of interviews done with parents and responsible adults about several issues related to their children's education in the community of Rocinha. In November 2022 CIESPI/PUC-Rio launched the Bibliographic Data Base on Early Childhood Education containing articles published in Brazil from 2015-2021 including the bulletins above, thus ensuring they reach a broader audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sipp/resources/publications-of-partners |
| Description | Celebrating Childhoods in Rocinha |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In October many CIESPI staff organized and participated in the encounter "Celebrating Childhoods in Rocinha" with a number of activities and demonstrations of the project's work as a celebration and setting the stage for more work on the community's List of Priorities for Early Childhood that resulted from the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Children's Human Rights Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a virtual zoom conference with over 50 speakers that is sponsored by the Center for Childhood & Youth Studies at Salem State University, with co-sponsors such as Human Rights Educators USA, the Hope for Children CRC Policy Center, UNICEF USA, Child Fund Alliance, Child Welfare League of America, and others. It provided an opportunity to share children's rights developments across countries, and to discuss priorities particularly for the USA. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://hreusa.org/2022/06/09/childrens-human-rights-in-the-usa-virtual-conference/ |
| Description | Children's Institute Research Day, Cape Town, South Africa - January 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of the SIPP project aims and objectives, methods and expected outcomes. This was an information-sharing opportunity, to share with colleagues the scope and nature of the intended research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Children's Institute University of Cape Town, South Africa, and True North partner meeting, |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Presentation and engagement on the work and vision of local case study community partner (True North). The SIPP project was presented as an area of work in collaboration with the Children's Institute. This meeting had an information-sharing and networking purpose. Outcomes included better understanding of the vision and work of True North, introduction of the SIPP project to partners, and enhanced understanding of the linkages between True North and the SIPP project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Children's Institute mid-year Research Projects Update, July 2020 - Cape Town, South Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of the SIPP project, progress with deliverables and impact of Covid on project implementation. The purpose was to gauge the extent of the impact of Covid on project goals and implementation plans across the institute. Outcomes included receiving support and guidance on adjustments within the Covid context |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Children's Institute project review and strategic planning |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on SIPP project progress, immediate plans and impacts of Covid-19 at the institute review meeting. Outcomes included practical guidance and support with immediate steps toward project implementation in the context of Covid. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Children's Rights European Academic Network Online Webinar - Building Back Better? Learning from crises for children's human rights |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Crises have seemed ever-present globally over recent years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change. Both of these crises show what can be done collectively to uphold children's rights, should there be global attention and will. They also highlight extreme inequalities, their impacts and the precarity of human rights in times of crisis. This webinar will explore how to learn from these and other crises, to 'build back better' in relation to children's human rights. The webinar included presentations from Prof. Philip D. Jaffé, who is a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and young people from #CovidUnder19, an initiative aimed to foster intergenerational partnerships between children, young people and adult members of the children's rights community to develop evidence-based advocacy to uphold children's rights in pandemic recovery and response. After the presentations, we hosted an interactive panel with the speakers and others, providing an opportunity for questions and discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.ed.ac.uk/education/rke/our-research/children-young-people/cyp-events/cyp-crean-building-... |
| Description | Children's Rights in the Early Years Video Youtube |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The description of the video is: "What kind of changes, tools and practices are needed in the system to allow infants' voices to be meaningfully heard and understood in decision making, given the incorporation of UNCRC into Scots Law?" In partnership with NSPCC, Carmel Faulkner, Unfearties Project Worker at Children's Parliament speaks with Professor Kay Tisdall, a Professor of Childhood Policy at the University of Edinburgh, about the essential requirements needed to ensure our systems can meaningfully listen to and understand infants' voices, and the challenges we face as adults when considering children's capacity. This conversation is the beginning of a much larger conversation Children's Parliament is hosting with NSPCC during the Year of Childhood 2021. It will be followed by a Sector Webinar later in the year." As a you tube video, it could be viewed by a global audience |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTXEjJUQ0d0 |
| Description | Community dialogue circles |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Five community meetings (Community dialogue circles) to discuss improving early childhood context. These events brought the community together for the first time to discuss how to improve the context of early childhood development including key issues such as development and the quality of life, mental health and anti-racist education. . It resulted in a community led list of priorities for action which the community is now working on. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | http://www.ciespi.org.br |
| Description | Contribution to Launch of World Visions Centre for Excellence on Children's Participation in Advocacy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | World Vision International has established a Centre for Excellence on Children's Participation in Advocacy. This aims to nature collaborations and learning together, bringing together World Vision staff, policy-makers, children and young people and academia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.wvi.org/our-work/child-participation |
| Description | Coordinating assembly of NGOs in Eswatini: Children's Consortium Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Talk to introduce the SIPP project to the Children's Consortium because NGOs are working on the ground in communities. Looking at identifying organisations working in case study area and sharing information about the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Discussant Webinar- The Common Ethical Challenges in Research with Children in China |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A Webinar organised by UCL, for students/ practitioners/ academics/ policy makers in China. Led to future activities, including November presentations in China and requests for visitors to University of Edinburgh. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Discussion with parents about early childhood development |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 12 mothers from the Aida refugee camp attended 8 discussion sessions about their perceptions about children's needs and how to be a supportive adult. 4 parents asked for individual meetings with the BU team to share concerns about their kids. The team provided them with contacts where they could receive professional support that goes beyond the capacities of the research team |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Early Years Conference - Eswatini |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The SIPP team in Eswatini convened the first Early Years focused conference in Eswatini. The conference took place over two days and brought together policy-makers, practitioners, community members, third sector workers and academics to discuss issues related to early years education in Eswatini. The conference included a presentation on findings from the SIPP project in Eswatini. A plan was made for a future seminar aimed specifically at politicians and policy-makers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Equal Education webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on an ECD campaign called 'Real reform for ECD', aimed at mobilising civil society actors to co-ordinate and develop submissions calling for change in a law impacting on ECD provision and informed by SIPP. The primary outcome was education/awareness raising about the campaign and the value of participating in collaborative action to influence ECD law reform. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Equal education Law Centre Colloquium on ECD and Education Rights 18 and 19 March 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Virtual and face to face event serving those involved in ECE advocacy in South Africa. The event sought to explore the content and existence of the right to ECCE in SA - International Law and Constitution; the state responsibility re different departments and spheres of government and, needed reforms to existing laws and policies. The Children's Institute staff presented findings from the Vrygrond SIPP case study in relation to The Right to ECD - learning from local stakeholder perspectives. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Fifth National Congress of Childhood Studies: Poetry and Utopias |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In October, CIESPI staff presented the project work on listening to young children at the Fifth National Congress of Childhood Studies: Poetry and Utopias at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | GRUPECI Conference presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In December, CIESPI director was the key note speaker for a major conference on Early Childhood in Brazil (GRUPECI), in the South of Brazil. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | International Conference 'Rethinking vulnerability within a children's rights approach'. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a 3 day conference, organised by the Child law research group at the Law Faculty, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, is working on a project on Children's Right to Health. This is a four-year project funded by the Norwegian Research Council. As part of the project, we would like to invite to a small conference focusing on the topic children and vulnerability theory. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://uit.no/tavla/artikkel/763508/rethinking_vulnerability_within_a_children_s_righ |
| Description | International and Canadian Child Rights (ICCRP) SIPP Seminar Dialogue - 09 May 2023: Engaging with participatory methodologies to decolonise research with children and young people. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This webinar was part of a webinar series called: Engaging with Participatory Methodologies to Decolonise Research with Children and Young People. The Children's Institute in Cape Town, in collaboration with the International Canadian Child Rights Partnership hosted the webinar that was a partnership between SIPP and ICCRP. Each SIPP country team contributed a presentation focusing on the culturally appropriate participatory approaches used to engage young children |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | International seminar 'Participation of children, adolescents and young people in public policies' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A three-day international seminar was organised in Santiago and Valparaíso, Chile, to help influence their constitutional and national policy changes. The seminar was jointly organised by World Vision Chile, Universidad Autonoma and Catedra UNESCO at the Universidad de Valparaíso. There were further meetings with relevant Minister and policy makers, strategy meetings and interviews. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.wvi.org/content/events/child-participation/children-and-young-peoples-participation-publ... |
| Description | International webinar. Women, Young Children and Covid-19: Stories from Brazil, Eswatini, Palestine and South Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This international webinar shared learning from SIPP on how women and children in communities in Brazil, Eswatini, Palestine and South Africa have experienced the effects of the pandemic disproportionately due to historical marginalisation based on politics, poverty, racism and colonialism. The webinar keynote speaker was Advocate Tseliso Thipanyane and each partner country shared stories from the communities in which they work. The webinar concluded with comments fromn our keynote listener, PI Kay Tisdall, and a lively panel discussion. The webinar |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sipp/resources/events/women-young-children-and-covid-19-stories-from-brazil-e... |
| Description | Keynote presentation - What can Childhood Studies add to Policy and Practice? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote presentation at International Conference 'Children and Youth Perspectives, Theory, Research and Practice in European Context', Prague Czech Republic September 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://children.youth.perspectives.cuni.cz/FHSCCP-17.html |
| Description | Meeting with SIPP Co-I and SOS Children's Village in Eswatini |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with a partner working in the area coordinating neighbourhood care points: presenting the project, thinking about future collaboration, and inviting the representative of SOS Children's village to participate in SIPP webinar. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Met with National Children's Services Department (NCSD) under the Eswatini Deputy Prime Minister's Office |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Clement Dlamini (SIPP Co-I) presented to the NCSD to provide information about the project and invite them to participate in SIPP webinar with a view to consulting them regarding community advisory boards. NCSD is responsible for all ECD in Eswatini. NCSD went on to participate in webinar and will provide guidance on advisory groups and continue to be involved in Knowledge Exchange throughout the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Networking meeting with ECD stakeholder, Mikhulu Trust, Cape Town, South Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Discussion of the SIPP project, methods and expected outcomes. MIkhulu Trust's director shared on interventions used and plans for adaptations/new projects in response to Covid. This meeting had a networking purpose, to assess how the organisations/projects could offer support to each other and share resources. Outcomes included sharing useful information and contacts, and agreeing to consider MIkhulu's book-sharing intervention as a possible method to support child participation and caregiver-child engagement for the SIPP project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | OMEP Ireland Early Childhood Conference 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The theme for the 2022 OMEP Ireland Early Childhood Annual Conference is Repositioning the Child in Early Childhood Education and Care. The conference had considerable engagement in identifying policy progress, and strategising about priorities and how to address the gaps. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://omepireland.ie/omep-ireland-annual-conference-2022/ |
| Description | Palestine - community meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A community meeting where the project was presented and the 15 parents from the community discussed their concerns and views about child participation and protection. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Palestine - feeding back to community about needs assessment |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A community meeting to share results from the needs assessment. Around 27 parents attended and they raised their needs to learn more about child development through play, theatre, drama and interactive science experiments. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Participation and Childhood Seminar Chile |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Organised by World Vision Chile, Kay Tisdall provided a key note speech as part of a seminar series aiming to raise children's rights up the political agenda in Chile and particularly for its constitution. In English, the seminar series was titled '"Constituent Childhood: Proposals and Challenges for children and young people's participation in Chile". Primarily aimed to a Chilean audience, it was also accessible internationally as it was online. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Policy Briefing. ECD programmes: A case for investment in times of crisis |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A policy briefing looking at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on ECD in South Africa |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sipp/resources/publications-of-partners |
| Description | Presentation and participant - OECD project '21ST CENTURY CHILDREN The nature of modern childhood' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Expert meeting organised by OECD and the Irish Department of Education, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and Dublin City University 23-24 October 2023 . |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/21st-century-children.htm |
| Description | Presentation at Early Childhood in the Favelas of Mare launch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In September 2023, CIESPI staff presented at the launching of the study Early Childhood in the Favelas of Mare on the Rocinha project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation at International conference, It is not enough to survive: the right to well-being in early childhood |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | An early career researcher provided a presentation from SIPP, at the ISCI biannual conference. The discussion was lively following the presentations, leading to contacts for further work. The symposium was part of the international conference, held in Brazil this year. "Children's Rights and Opportunities in an Unequal World: Research, Policy and Intervention" The general objective of the Conference is to bring together researchers from different continents in order to increase knowledge on the Indicators and Rights of Children and Adolescents. The event will provide a more critical view on Public and Social Policies and hopes to offer strategies, opportunities and strengthen spaces and contexts for the promotion of equality of well-being for all children. The ISCI 2022 Conference seeks to highlight excellence, innovation and originality in researches with political and practical implications. Academics working in the research of children's indicators in any country and of any theoretical reference are invited to send research abstracts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://isci2022.org/about-isci/#2021 |
| Description | Presentation at international conference 'Safe Early Childhood Education: learning from case studies' IPSCAN Congress 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Conference presentation |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://ispcan.org/congresses/edinburgh-congress-2023-recap/ |
| Description | Presentation at international conference, 'What can we learn from observing children and parents in play activities in contexts of oppression in Palestine?' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A team presentation was given at the annual EECERA Conference. This is EECERA's Annual Conference is the largest early childhood research conference in Europe, providing an exceptional forum and network for scholars, policy makers, researchers and practitioners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://2022.eeceraconference.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/08/Conference-Programme-Final-v050... |
| Description | Presentation at the seminar of the Unified System of Social Assistance |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | In August 2023, CIESPI staff presented on the state of early childhood in the state of Rio de Janeiro at the seminar of the Unified System of Social Assistance to commemorate the Early Childhood Month. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation on SIPP project to Eswatini's Alliance of Mayors Initiative on Community Action on AIDS at The Local Level (AMICAALL) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The Alliance co-ordinates HIV response within Municipal Councils including community case study area for project. In Eswatini there is an important link between the HIV response and ECCE. AMICAALL have been responsible for neighbourhood care points and are gatekeepers for accessing the communities within the Municipality. The aim of the meeting was to share information about SIPP, and gain information about their work in the community with a view to a possible future collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation to International Froebel Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Lynn McNair and Kay Tisdall were key note speakers at the 9th International Froebel Society Conference 2021, held online. The intended purpose of the conference was: Social justice, equity and integrity are terms that often appear in twenty-first-century discussions of early childhood education and care (ECEC), but what do they mean and how might they be enacted in specific settings, particular locations, individual cultures and nations? What answers might be gleaned from social scientific or historical analyses? How can those who care about and work with young children - including practitioners, researchers and policymakers - develop and achieve visions of social justice, equity and integrity? How do these interact with other(s') goals for ECEC, such as improving children's educational attainment and achievement, and increasing parents' participation in paid employment, training or further study? How might Froebelian perspectives and practices help advance equity and social justice today and in the future? And what role does or should integrity play in all of the above?" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://www.ifsfroebel.com/?p=713 |
| Description | Presentation: Child protection in a context of oppression (Cambridge University) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Tamish, Rabab. A talk for MPhil students in leadership program at Cambridge university. The talk focused on 'child protection in a context of oppression' where they learn about SIPP project in Palestine and the challenges of reaching the community during the war on Palestine.(6, March, 2024) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation: Rethinking kindergarten programs to increase impact on the community (University of Bethlehem) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Tamish, Rabab. A paper on the need for rethinking Kindergarten programs to increase impact on the community. The talk was presented in a symposium " the future of service learning". Bethlehem University (25-26 May 2023) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation: SIPP project and the pedagogy of community engagement (Cambridge University) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Tamish, Rabab. A talk provided to 35 MPhil, Phd students and academics on SIPP project and the pedagogy of community engagement. Cambridge University |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation: research engagement in child-parental participation (RECE Conference Liverpool) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Tamish, Rabab. A paper was presented in the RECE conference. The talk focused on sharing data related to the research engagement in child-parental participation. Liverpool (8-10 sep. 2023) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Radio interview: Early Years in Palestine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A broadcast in Arabic about Early Years Education. Unfortunately, the recording was recorded days before the war on Gaza. It has not yet been published. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Rejuvenate Dialogue - Panellist |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Lead by a team at IDS and UHI, the goal of the REJUVENATE project is to re-energise the field of child and youth rights in social justice processes through a growing networks of child rights actors and to further consolidate, evidence and develop the REJUVENATE principles. Upon publishing our working paper Learning from a Living archive: Rejuvenating Child and Youth Rights and Participation in December 2020, we issued a call to action to academics, practitioners, decision makers, advocates, and programme implementers involved in working with children and young people to enter into critical dialogue with our work 'as the start of an inclusive process of contributing to and building up international dialogue about children's and youth participation and creating regional networks to share learning on concepts, rights, and goals'. As part of this process, on 14 September we are hosting a virtual dialogue for thinkers and doers in the fields of child rights and children and youth participation. Panellists will share their work and respond and reflect on the REJUVENATE principles, leading to broader discussions with event participants. This was a webinar event, with a diverse audience from different parts of the world including ODA countries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://rejuvenate.global/rejuvenate-dialogue-on-14th-september/ |
| Description | Second Municipal Intersectorial Conference on Early Childhood |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | In October 2023, in the city of Conceição de Macabu CIESPI staff presented Second Municipal Intersectorial Conference on Early Childhood on Violence in Early Childhood. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Seminar on early childhood and intersectoriality organized by the Municipal Department of Education at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | In May the project work on how to listen to children was presented at the second seminar on early childhood and intersectoriality organized by the Municipal Department of Education at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Series of meetings with SIPP CoIs and Eswatini Government Children's Services Department and SOS Children's Village |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The discussions were an information sharing exercise between SIPP Co-Is, the Director of The Children's Services and SOS Children's Village to avoid duplication of community advisory groups and maximise the community voice. As part of these conversations SIPP team members shared about the research project and its participatory ethos. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | South Africa National Conference on Play-Based Learning |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The conference was attended by parents, primary caregivers, early learning programs practitioners, researchers, academia, administrators, and policymakers. The primary objective of the conference was to delve into and promote the understanding of collective opportunities and responsibilities amongst stakeholders to ensure that play-based learning takes a central role in facilitating young children's early learning and development, both at home and in programmes, through training and policy support. The Conference enabled stakeholders to share best practices in term of promoting play-based learning in ECD programmes. "Key issues that emerged from the discussion were the prioritisation of the parental programme around play-based learning; the provision of learning material to support play-based learning; and the training of care givers and educators to master technical skills in incorporating play-based learning into curriculum pedagogies. The Conference also provided networking opportunities amongst participants in the field of ECD" (Deputy Director General Department of Basic Education, SA, February 2024). SIPP presentation Gwele, Biersteker and Orgill (2024), Unlocking the voices of children through playful activities. South Africa National Conference on Play-Based Learning. Conference theme: 'Early Learning and Development: Foundations for the Future through Partnerships on Play, Parents, Practice and Policy'. Johannesburg. Indaba conference centre. (21 and 22 February 2024) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Symposium and presentations at ISCI Conference 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A symposium was organised, with presentations by team members. The discussion was lively following the presentations, leading to contacts for further work. The symposium was part of the ISCI biannual conference, held in Brazil this year. "Children's Rights and Opportunities in an Unequal World: Research, Policy and Intervention" The general objective of the Conference is to bring together researchers from different continents in order to increase knowledge on the Indicators and Rights of Children and Adolescents. The event will provide a more critical view on Public and Social Policies and hopes to offer strategies, opportunities and strengthen spaces and contexts for the promotion of equality of well-being for all children. The ISCI 2022 Conference seeks to highlight excellence, innovation and originality in researches with political and practical implications. Academics working in the research of children's indicators in any country and of any theoretical reference are invited to send research abstracts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://isci2022.org/about-isci/#2021 |
| Description | Symposium at international conference 'Learning from play: methodological implications from community case studies in Brazil, Eswatini, Palestine and South Africa' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The project organised a symposium, with all country teams, to present a series of papers. This was shared at the international EECERA conference, which is the largest early childhood research conference in Europe, providing an exceptional forum and network for scholars, policy makers, researchers and practitioners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://2022.eeceraconference.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/08/Conference-Programme-Final-v050... |
| Description | The CIESPI project Troop of Players (Trupe Brincante) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The CIESPI project Troop of Players (Trupe Brincante), young people trained in the project to play with and listen to children participated in 13 separate events (reaching a total of 130 children) called Playful encounters. The goal was to train young activists in the community on how to interact with and listen to young children, to assist early childhood teachers, and to spread learning about improving the early childhood context. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | http://www.ciespi.org.br |
| Description | Thinking about children's rights in the early years - Knowledge exchange workshop with Early Childhood Educators China |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 16 August 2022, 9:00 am-11:00 am Three young school students. Shutterstock/CCO. Join this event which will discuss children's rights in the early years, with a focus on partnerships between family, school and community. This event is free. Event Information Open to All Cost Free Organiser Centre for Teacher and Early Years Education ioe.ctey@ucl.ac.uk Event recording The speakers will discuss children's rights in the early years from different perspectives. They will share research findings, practical case studies, and reflections on promoting children's rights through participatory pedagogical approaches. This is the sixth workshop of the "Knowledge-exchange workshop series for Chinese practitioners to empower young children for sustainability in Early Childhood Education", which aims to support Chinese ECE practitioners to better listen to children's voices, encourage children's participation and empower children's agency in everyday practice, which would support SDGs and promote sustainability education in early years. The discussion was lively and practitioners discussed their own examples. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/events/2022/aug/thinking-about-childrens-rights-early-years |
| Description | Thinking about children's rights in the early years: learning from practices |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Lynn McNair and Kay Tisdall contributed a presentation to a 2 hour workshop, on participative pedagogy and children's human rights. This was the sixth workshop of the "Knowledge-exchange workshop series for Chinese practitioners to empower young children for sustainability in Early Childhood Education", which aims to support Chinese ECE practitioners to better listen to children's voices, encourage children's participation and empower children's agency in everyday practice, which would support SDGs and promote sustainability education in early years. The workshop series is organised by UCL in the UK. This workshop series was funded by the UCL Global Engagement Funds and hosted by the Centre for Teacher and Early Years Education at IOE, and Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/events/2022/aug/thinking-about-childrens-rights-early-years |
| Description | True North Annual ECD Celebration 24 November 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A dinner organised by True North, the SIPP Third Sector partner organisation in South Africa, with certificates to acknowledge contributions to improving ECE in the area, including the SIPP project. Opportunity for informal networking about our SIPP work with NGOs and donors beyond the Vrygrond area |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Two meetings with UNESCO in Eswatini to present the project and looking at synergies and collaboration |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | Clement Dlamini (SIPP Co-I) presented to UNESCO about the SIPP project at the first meeting and the second meeting focused on possible synergies and ongoing collaboration between UNESCO and the University Eswatini around ECCE. The development of a co-operation framework between the two organisations was suggested in order to make collaboration possible and ensure that UNESCO are fully informed about the SIPP project findings and SIPP project is informed about future funding possibilities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Vrygrond ECD Forum (Cape Town, South Africa) executive committee meeting, February 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Lizette Berry presented and led a discussion of the SIPP project, it's intentions and envisioned benefits to the community. The meeting intended to introduce the project details and to gauge interest and obtain approval for proceeding with project work in the community. There was interest and support for the project's implementation in the site. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Webinar: Children's Images Online: exploring ethical issues in participatory research projects |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | SIPP, Covision and Froebelian Futures worked together to plan and facilitate this international webinar. SIPP team members provided multiple presentations looking at the ethics of using images of children within and from participatory research with children. Presentations came from multiple cultural contexts and perspectives, resulting in a debate including many different points of view. The webinar resulted in a blog and planned academic paper. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sipp/resources/events/childrens-images-online-exploring-ethical-issues-in-par... |
| Description | Webinar: Enabling Participation in Early Childhood Education: learning from policy interventions in different cultural contexts |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Drawing on policy reviews carried out for the SIPP project, this webinar brought together case studies from Brazil, Eswatini, Palestine, Scotland and South Africa to shed light on how policy interventions are aiming to enable children's participation within Early Childhood Education (ECE). Key questions included: How have policymakers across the world interpreted children's participation in ECE? Which policies have been implemented successfully and what were the drivers behind such positive change? What are the obstacles to meaningful policy implementation in this area and how can they be addressed? |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Webinar: Sharing 'Creative' Methodologies |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | A webinar for the broader project team (including local partners) providing an opportunity for reflective discussion about creative methodologies and tools that the different project country teams are using in their communities to work with children and families. Each team gave a short presentation on the methodologies that they are using in communities and how they have adapted them for their cultural contexts - including the challenges and barriers. The webinar finished with a lively discussion and one clear outcomes is that the project has decided to have ongoing regular meetings to continue these discussions and learn from each other. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sipp/resources/events/sharing-creative-methodologies |
| Description | Webinar: The prevalence of violence against children in the early years - findings from a systematic review |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Webinar to share findings from the systematic literature reviews carried out by the project: Early childhood is a critical period for all children - significant for young children's rights in the here and now, for children's future educational, economic and health outcomes, and ultimately societal flourishing. By systematically locating and synthesizing research evidence on the prevalence of violence against children in the early years (i.e., 5 years and under), this systematic review aims to understand the magnitude of violence against children in the early years in order to contribute to the evidence base on how to create safe, inclusive learning environments for this age group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Working with Rocinha's public health centres |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In November 2023, CIESPI staff participated in a meeting of the management team of one of Rocinha's public health centres discussing the community list of early childhood priorities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Workshop: protective policies for young children |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | In October, CIESPI staff participated in a workshop about civil society organizations and protective policies for young children in the municipal level, with partners from Bahia (Avante) and São Paulo (Aprendiz). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | training course on early childhood for staff in Maricá (State of Rio) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | In June 2023 the CIESPI team was invited to present the SIPP project in a workshop organized as a training course for staff from various departments in the municipality of Maricá (State of Rio) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |