Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thinking About Children: How Does It Influence Policy and Practice?

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Children and Youth Studies

  • 8632 Accesses

Abstract

Childhood studies and sociocultural theory, together with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, have influenced policy and practice initiatives, both within New Zealand and internationally. The integration of children’s agency, rights, and well-being provides a conceptual framework for positioning children as participating subjects, knowers, and social actors, rather than as the passive objects of socialization. Children are now considered to be people who can make a difference and contribute to creating their own futures and to sustaining their families, schools, and communities. Children’s ability to express their views and exercise responsibility is influenced by their social and cultural contexts and the extent to which there is space and support for their participation. Sociocultural contexts play an important part in inducting children into shared meanings, values, and practices and enabling children to participate and learn. This chapter highlights three specific examples of New Zealand’s social policy and professional practice to explore how contemporary conceptions of childhood can influence children’s rights and well-being – (1) early childhood education, (2) the abolition of physical punishment, and (3) ascertaining children’s views in family law proceedings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 599.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 649.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Birnbaum, R., Bala, N., & Cyr, F. (2011). Children’s experiences with family justice professionals in Ontario and Ohio. International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family, 25(3), 398–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boshier, P. (2009, May). The child’s voice in process: Which way is forward? Presentation by the Principal Family Court Judge to the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts 46th annual conference, New Orleans, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, M. (2001). Assessment in early childhood settings: Learning stories. London: Paul Chapman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, M., & Lee, W. (2012). Learning stories: Constructing learner identities in early education. Los Angeles: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, M., May, H., & Podmore, V. (2002). Learning and teaching stories. Action research on evaluation in early childhood in Aotearoa-New Zealand. European Early Childhood Research Journal, 10(2), 115–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Children’s Commissioner. (2008). Omnibus survey report. One year on: Public attitudes and New Zealand’s child discipline law. http://www.occ.org.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/5669/OCC_UMR-Research_141108.pdf. Retrieved 22 Oct 2012.

  • Children’s Issues Centre. (2006). Submission to the justice and electoral select committee of the New Zealand parliament. Dunedin: University of Otago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobbs, T. A., Smith, A. B., & Taylor, N. J. (2006). “No, we don’t get a say, children just suffer the consequences”: Children talk about family discipline. The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 14, 137–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernando, M. (2012). What do Australian family law judges think about meeting with children? Australian Journal of Family Law, 26, 51–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foyster, E., & Marten, J. (2010). A cultural history of childhood and family. New York: Berg Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, M. (1996). The convention: An English perspective. In M. Freeman (Ed.), Children’s rights: A comparative perspective (pp. 93–112). Aldershot: Dartsmouth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, M. (1998). The sociology of childhood and children’s rights. The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 6, 433–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, M. (2012). Towards a sociology of children’s rights. In M. Freeman (Ed.), Law and childhood studies (Current legal issues, Vol. 14, pp. 29–38). London: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldson, J. (2006). ‘Hello, I’m a voice, let me talk’: Child-inclusive mediation in family separation (Innovative practice report no 1/06). Wellington: Families Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldson, J., & Taylor, N. J. (2009). Child-inclusion in dispute resolution in the New Zealand Family Court. New Zealand Family Law Journal, 6(7), 201–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendrick, H. (1997). Constructions and reconstructions of British childhood: An interpretive survey, 1800 to the present. In A. James & A. Prout (Eds.), Constructing and reconstructing childhood: Contemporary issues in the sociological study of childhood (2nd ed., pp. 34–63). London: The Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janson, S., Langberg, B., & Svensson, B. (2011). Sweden: A 30-year ban on physical punishment of children. In J. Durrant & A. B. Smith (Eds.), Global pathways to abolishing physical punishment: Realising children’s rights (pp. 241–255). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lansdown, G. (1994). Children’s rights. In B. Mayall (Ed.), Children’s childhoods: Observed and experienced (pp. 33–44). London: The Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, J., & Smith, A. B. (2008). Aotearoa/New Zealand families: Their perspectives on child discipline and recent legislative changes. Children’s Issues, 12(2), 17–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, H. (2009). Politics in the playground: The world of early childhood in New Zealand (Rev. ed.). Dunedin: Otago University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, H. (2014). New Zealand case study: A narrative of shifting policy direction for early childhood education and care. In L. Gambaro, K. Stewart, & J. Waldfogel (Eds.), An equal start? Providing quality early education and care for disadvantaged children. (pp. 147–192). UK: Policy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayall, B. (2000). The sociology of childhood in relation to children’s rights. The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 8, 243–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • McIntosh, J., Long, C., & Wells, Y. (2009). Children beyond dispute: A four year follow up study of outcomes from child focused and child inclusive post-separation family dispute resolution. Canberra: Report to the Australian Government Attorney General’s Department.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meade, A. (1988). Education to be more: Report of the early childhood care and education working party. Wellington: Government Printer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melton, G. B., Gross-Manos, D., Ben-Arieh, A., & Mellott, E. Y. (2013). The nature and scope of child research: Learning about children’s lives. In G. B. Melton, A. Ben-Arieh, J. Cashmore, G. S. Goodman, & N. K. Worley (Eds.), Children in childhood: A research handbook (pp. 3–27). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whäriki: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Health. (2008). A portrait of health – Key results of the 2005/2006 New Zealand Health Survey. Wellington: Ministry of Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moss, P. (2000). Training and education of early childhood education and care staff. Report prepared for the OECD. Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moss, P. (2003). Conclusion: Whither family day care? In A. Mooney & J. Statham (Eds.), Family day care: International perspectives on policy, practice and quality (pp. 234–243). London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newell, P. (2011). The human rights imperative to eliminate physical punishment. Chapter 2. In J. Durrant & A. B. Smith (Eds.), Global pathways to abolishing physical punishment: Realising children’s rights (pp. 7–26). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nutbrown, C. (1996). Respectful educators – Capable learners: Children’s rights and early education. London: Paul Chapman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, B., & Alderson, P. (2003). Beyond ‘anti-smacking’: Challenging violence and coercion in parent–child relations. International Journal of Children’s Rights, 115, 175–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Practice Note: Lawyer for the Child: Code of conduct (issued by the New Zealand Principal Family Court Judge, 24 Mar 2011).

    Google Scholar 

  • Qvortrup, J. (1994). An introduction. In J. Qvortrup, M. Bardy, G. Sgritta, & H. Wintersberger (Eds.), Childhood matters: Social theory, practice and politics (pp. 1–24). Aldershot: Avebury Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qvortrup, J., Corsaro, W. A., & Honig, M.-S. (Eds.). (2009). The Palgrave handbook of childhood studies. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie, J., & Ritchie, J. (1981). Spare the rod. Sydney: George Allen & Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogoff, B. (1990). Apprenticeship in thinking: Cognitive development in social context. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandberg, K. (2011). Norway: The long and winding path towards prohibiting physical punishment. In J. Durrant & A. B. Smith (Eds.), Global pathways to abolishing physical punishment: Realising children’s rights (pp. 197–210). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A. B. (2002). Interpreting and supporting participation rights: Contributions from sociocultural theory. The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 10, 73–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A. B. (2011a). Relationships with people, places and things: Te Whāriki. In L. Miller & L. Pound (Eds.), Theories and approaches to learning in the early years (Critical issues in the early years series, pp. 149–162). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A. B. (2011b). The theoretical rationale for eliminating physical punishment. Chapter 3. In J. Durrant & A. B. Smith (Eds.), Global pathways to abolishing physical punishment: Realising children’s rights (pp. 27–41). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A. B., & May, H. (2006). Early childhood care and education in Aotearoa-New Zealand. In E. Melhuish (Ed.), Preschool care and education: International perspectives (pp. 144–176). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A. B., Taylor, N. J., & Tapp, P. (2003). Rethinking children’s involvement in decision-making after parental separation. Childhood, 10(2), 201–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, N. J. (2006). What do we know about involving children and young people in family law decision making? A research update. Australian Journal of Family Law, 20(2), 154–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, N. J., & Caldwell, J. (2013). Judicial meetings with children: Documenting practice within the New Zealand Family Court. In New Zealand Law review, Part 3, 445–463.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, N. J., & Gollop, M. (2013). Children and young people’s participation in family law decision-making. In C. Freeman, & N. Higgins (Eds.), Childhoods: Growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 153–166). Dunedin: Otago University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, N. J., Tapp, P., & Henaghan, R. M. (2007). Respecting children’s participation in family law proceedings. The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 15(1), 61–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, N. J., Wood, B., & Smith, A. B. (2011). New Zealand: The achievements and challenges of prohibition. Chapter 14. In A. B. Smith & J. Durrant (Eds.), Realizing the rights of children: Global progress towards ending physical punishment (pp. 182–196). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, N. J., Fitzgerald, R., Morag, T., Bajpai, A., & Graham, A. (2012). International models of child participation in family law proceedings following parental separation/divorce. The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 20, 645–673.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Te One, S., & Dalli, C. (2010). The status of children’s rights in early childhood education policy 2009. New Zealand Annual Review of Education, 20, 1–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. (2006). General Comment No. 8 on the right of the child to protection from corporal punishment and other degrading punishment. Geneva: UN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, B. (2013). Physical punishment of children in New Zealand – Six years post reform. http://epochnz.org.nz/site/images/2013_Physical_punishment_of_children_in_New_Zealand_2.pdf. Retrieved 3 Mar 2014.

  • Wood, B., Hassall, I., Hook, G., & Ludbrook, R. (2008). Unreasonable force: New Zealand’s journey towards banning the physical punishment of children. Wellington: Save the Children NZ.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Children’s Issues Centre, University of Otago, House, 385 Queen Street, 56, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Nicola Taylor

  2. College of Education, University of Otago, 145 Union Street East, 56, 9054, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Anne B. Smith

Authors
  1. Nicola Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anne B. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicola Taylor .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Youth Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Johanna Wyn

  2. Youth Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Helen Cahill

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this entry

Cite this entry

Taylor, N., Smith, A.B. (2015). Thinking About Children: How Does It Influence Policy and Practice?. In: Wyn, J., Cahill, H. (eds) Handbook of Children and Youth Studies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4451-15-4_53

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4451-15-4_53

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-4451-14-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-4451-15-4

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation