Upholding the human right of children in New Zealand experiencing communication difficulties to voice their needs and dreams

Abstract

New Zealand Ministry of Education’s proposal for an updated service to support children experiencing communication difficulties provides an opportunity to consider the essential criteria required for children to express their opinion, information and ideas as outlined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This commentary begins with a summary of key policies that provide strategic direction for enhancing children’s rights to be actively involved in the development of services designed to support them and to communicate and participate in inclusive environments. The authors use a human rights lens to inform the development of speech-language pathology services that facilitate individuals’ contribution and engagement and are responsive to their needs. A review of international literature describing the lived experience of children and young people identifies key factors related to accessible information, service coordination, holistic practice, and partnerships that facilitate co-constructed understanding and decision-making. The commentary concludes with suggested recommendations for structuring services, establishing partnership models, and capability building.

Keywords:

• Article 19
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• United Nations
• children
• lived experience
• communication disorders
• speech, language and communication needs

Declaration of interest

There are no real or potential conflicts of interest related to the manuscript.