The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child comprises 54 articles that outline the individual rights each child has under the Convention. This includes what are considered ‘basic’ human rights—such as a legally registered name and nationality, access to clean water, food, hygiene and a shelter—but also provides guidance on situations where children may not have a voice. 

This can include the right to be looked after by carers who respect their culture, religion or language if a child cannot be with their family; the right to access legal help; and the right to receive reliable information, and not be targeted with advertisements that may harm them. 

Consider your philosophy and approach in your early learning service—how do children exercise their rights, and what is one learning experience you could plan that could help them to understand their rights further? 

Not sure where to start? You may like to explore these resources:

The Convention is based on the principle of the best interests of the child. Situations in early childhood education and care may arise that are complicated and challenging, which may make ethical decision-making difficult. Reflecting and coming back to the best interests of the child focuses the outcome on benefiting the most vulnerable party.

Children’s interests and rights are articulated within the National Quality Standard, Element 1.1.2: ‘Each child’s current knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests are the foundation of the program’. This encourages educators to critically reflect on each child in their service, their abilities and by extension their rights as an individual within the service. Some considerations in light of the current circumstances could include children’s right to play, and social justice and equity.

Additionally, the ECA Code of Ethics and the Ethics in Action guidebook provide early childhood educators guidance on implementing the rights of the child within early childhood settings, acknowledging the specific challenges of the sector.
 

In an interview with Early Childhood Australia, child welfare advocate Dr Cindy Blackstock said, ‘Children have taught me the most important lessons about advocacy … children are experts in love and fairness and they know how to do reconciliation.’ She added that everyday advocacy means ‘having the moral courage to truly put the children first in everything you do’.

Human rights are deeply ingrained in social justice, which is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as ‘justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities and privileges within a society’. Early childhood educators play a role in creating culturally safe, secure and accessible early learning for all children. This year, 4 August marks National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day. Visit their website to consider how you can get involved, increase your knowledge, put children first and demonstrate your commitment to closing the gap.

Additional resources you may find useful include: 

While children’s human rights aims to take into account the basic rights, it is important to consider that what is understood to be ‘basic’ will change as society develops. In this article from 2016, Chris Steel MLA examines the complexities of the CCS package in relation to upholding the rights of the child—an argument that remains relevant today.

The world looks very different today than it did in 1989, and while the rights of the child can be adapted into a number of settings, the prevalence of technology and the internet in children’s lives has raised a number of grey areas in relation to children’s rights and online safety. Consider photographic consent and data storage: if you take photographs of children, where are they being held, and for how long?   

The current pandemic has reminded us that not everyone has the means to access a stable internet connection. What does this mean when children must rely on accessing the internet for education? When children are accessing the internet, how do we ensure their private identities and information are safe? 

ECA and the eSafety Commissioner have developed a suite of professional learning modules that explore online safety for children up to five years of age. Learn more here. 

One voice can make a big difference. Early childhood educators can advocate for quality early childhood education and care and rights for children in a number of ways, including joining campaigns such as Early Learning Matters Week.  

Early Learning Matters Week 2020 will be held online from 3–7 August. The week is a chance to come together virtually and raise awareness, understanding and advocate for the importance of early learning and the value it has for the child, family and our society. 

As a part of Early Learning Matters Week, you can submit photos, short videos and written messages explaining why it matters. Due to social distancing, we’re not arranging visits by politicians this year, but we are encouraging them to reach out to local early learning and care services online. Find more ideas on how to get involved on the Early Learning Matters website.