Negotiating Safety and Belonging: Children’s Experiences of Independent Mobility and Autonomy in Low-Income High-Density Neighborhoods

Children’s neighborhood mobility has been widely examined through either independent movement or psychological autonomy, yet few studies consider how these dimensions intersect in the lived realities of low-income, high-density environments. This study explores how neighborhood conditions simultaneously constrain and enable children’s experiences of mobility and autonomy, focusing on People’s Housing Project (PPR) estates in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Using a qualitative, child-centered approach, data were collected through child-led walks and mental mapping with 23 children aged 7–12. The child-led walks revealed everyday hazards that restricted children’s freedom of movement and heightened concerns for safety. Conversely, the mental maps highlighted intangible but significant attachments that fostered a sense of belonging, pride, and autonomy despite material deprivation. Together, these findings illustrate that children’s well-being depends not only on opportunities for independent mobility but also on affective and symbolic dimensions of autonomy embedded in their neighborhood environments. The study concludes that planning and housing policies must move beyond efficiency and density to address children’s rights to safe, supportive, and meaningful spaces that nurture both freedom of movement and autonomy in everyday life.