You Can Ask Me If You Really Want to Know What I Think

At the time the abstract for this article was accepted, Rebecca Blaikie, Michele Egan-Bitran and Zoey Henley were Senior Advisors to the Children’s Commissioner. Since then, Rebecca has taken maternity leave and both Zoey and Michelle have resigned. The views expressed in this article do not represent or reflect the views of the Children’s Commissioner or the Office of the Children’s Commissioner.

Abstract

Recent social policy discourses in Aotearoa New Zealand focus on vulnerable children’s well-being and the detrimental, long-term and costly impacts of child poverty. The discourse pervading much of the policy labels children and young people as ‘vulnerable’ or ‘at risk’ or ‘in crisis’, a view, which we argue, is both disempowering and marginalising. We propose a shift in focus which views children and young people as agentic, capable and competent. Drawing on several small-scale research projects and reports we demonstrate how, when asked, children and young people can participate effectively in discussions about policy matters that concern them (Article 12, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 [UNCROC]). We have much to learn from the insights children share with us when asked, but very often existing structures, at both government and community level, do not include adequate processes to hear their voices, let alone act on what has been communicated.

Keywords:

• children's rights
• participation rights
• social policy
• child voice

Notes

At the time the abstract for this article was accepted, Rebecca Blaikie, Michele Egan-Bitran and Zoey Henley were Senior Advisors to the Children’s Commissioner. Since then, Rebecca has taken maternity leave and both Zoey and Michelle have resigned. The views expressed in this article do not represent or reflect the views of the Children’s Commissioner or the Office of the Children’s Commissioner.

1. To view the reports and submissions and for a full description of the methods visit www.occ.org.nz

2. Defining childhood is problematic and, according to Franklin (1995), is an ever wavering line. In the context of this article, a child is between 0–17 years of age inclusive. In line with UNCROC (1989), a young person is defined as being 18–24 years of age (Ministry of Social Development, 2009).

3. Whānau—Māori meaning family/extended family/kinship ties—

4. Taiohi—Māori meaning youth or young people.

5. Paeroa is a small North Island town south of Auckland, the country’s largest city.

6. Matua John refers to the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Mr .John Key. Matua is a term used by a young person to address a person in the parent generation.

7. Kōhanga Reo—literally a language nest; the Kōhanga Reo movement was a Maori initiative designed to revitalise the Maori language (te reo Māori).