A focus group study on participatory practices in early childhood education and care across four European countries

Abstract

Participation in educational settings is a universal right of every child, consigned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This right encompasses the need to protect and encourage young children´s active participation and decision-making in early childhood education and care. Research Findings: This qualitative study, inspired by the Lundy model (2007), examined ECEC teachers’ (n = 25) and coordinators’ (n = 25) perceptions about participation practices, collected through focus groups conducted in Belgium, Greece, Poland, and Portugal. Participants were previously referred as implementing participatory practices. Results showed that the four dimensions of the Lundy model emerged in teachers’ and coordinators’ group discussions: Participative space, Children’s voice, Audience of children’s perspectives, and Influence. Furthermore, a number of subcategories in each dimension reflected different orientations toward participatory pedagogy. Practice or Policy: This study contributes to informing and inspiring participation practices in ECEC across Europe and to enriching policy discussions regarding children´s participation rights, particularly in the early years. Promising participatory practices were identified in the various dimensions of participation, though some challenges remain, requiring in-depth knowledge about pedagogical practices and the promotion of initiatives to empower professionals to enhance children’s right to participate, particularly at the center-level.