Agency Part 2: Supporting Agency by Involving Children in Decision Making

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, EXPERIENCES AND RESOURCES

Environments that support children’s decision making are set up in ways that provide children with a variety of resources to choose from and allow children to make choices independently of adults. They can be open-ended, allow multiple uses, be used creatively, and involve sustained, shared thinking, and include both manufactured and natural items..

Examples of responsive environments include:

                Having equipment shelving at child height and encouraging children to choose the materials they want to use

                Having areas where children can store works in progress to return to over a period of time

                Setting up play spaces with areas that allow children to choose between quiet and busier areas, solitary play

                Providing space where children can store and independently access their own belongings.

EXAMPLES OF PRACTICE

Supporting agency at a service level:

                Engaging children in decisions about meals and routines

                Involving children in discussions about service policies, procedures and practices

                Developing the service philosophy by engaging with key stakeholders such as children, schools, families and the broader community.

Supporting agency in under two years olds:

                Seeing babies and toddlers as capable of being an active participant in routines, activities and experiences

                Scaffolding language to assist children in expressing feelings

                Using routines as a platform for learning about well being, identity, communication and learning

                Facilitating self-help skills as opposed to doing tasks for children

                Being aware, and responsive to young children’s verbal and non verbal cues

                Being respectful during routines, asking children’s permission to check their nappies, talking to them about putting on a bib and respecting if they are not hungry or need a cuddle to transition from sleep.

Supporting agency in 3-5 year-olds:

                Supporting children to negotiate a resolution rather than solving it for them

                Providing opportunities for children to set goals for learning

                Providing opportunities for children to learn through co-researching with adults

                Offering choices of experiences based on what children are interested in learning about

                Encouraging children to think about fairness and equity within the service, local community and outside world

                Considering a more democratic system of decision making, for example children could explore voting on relevant issues

                Supporting children’s voice within the community and connecting with community planning and consultation in all matters that affect children.

Supporting agency in school age children:

                Promoting learning through leisure and play-based activities that children plan and are relevant to their interests and other learning

                Extending on peer support programs and creating mentoring relationships

                Allowing children opportunities to assess and identify hazards and develop risk assessment strategies

Supporting children to take on the responsibilities of arrival and departure including developing procedures for handling their belongings and greetings educators.