Identifying the Language of Children’s Rights in Early Childhood Settings

This thesis explores how early childhood educators interpret and enact the language of children’s rights in practice, with a specific focus on four key concepts that underpin the practical application of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF): the image of the child, child participation, child voice, and consent. In response to persistent ambiguities surrounding the practical application of rights-based education in early childhood settings, a Toolkit (Identifying the Language of Children’s Rights Toolkit), a reflective professional learning resource aimed at supporting educators to embed rights-based concepts meaningfully into their daily pedagogical practices, was designed and implemented. Using a qualitative single-site case study methodology, the study engaged educators from one early learning service in metropolitan Melbourne. Through participant interviews, reflective tasks and tools and critical reflection, participants explored how their beliefs, assumptions, and interactions shaped their ability to recognise and support children's rights, particularly in relation to child voice, consent, and protective behaviours. Data was analysed thematically, revealing four interconnected themes: Reimagining the Image of the Child, The Everydayness of Rights, Negotiating Power and Participation, and From Awareness to Advocacy. These themes illuminate how educators moved from abstract understanding to authentic, rights-informed action. Central to this research was a commitment to ethical, relational methodology. Participants’ voices were honoured not merely as data points, but as co-constructors of knowledge whose insights offer powerful contributions to both policy and practice. The findings affirm that reflective, practitioner-led inquiry—supported by targeted professional tools—can empower educators to bridge the gap between theory and practice, develop a shared language of rights, and promote a more just, inclusive, and child-centred approach to early education.<p></p>