Despite the South African government’s commitment to advancing early childhood education, a significant gap remains in the practical implementation of children’s participatory rights. This study explored how young children’s voices are engaged in the co-construction of a participatory rights framework within early childhood care and education. The research involved forty children, aged 3 to 5, from two early childhood centres located in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. Employing a participatory methodology, data were generated through group conversations facilitated by the use of puppets. Findings indicate that while teacher-dominated spaces provided opportunities for language-based participation, children exercised greater autonomy and voice in activities such as art and free play. A notable and concerning outcome was that many children believed it was essential for them to listen to teachers and mothers yet did not view it as important for adults to reciprocate by listening to them. This asymmetry reflects the adult-dominated nature of early childhood spaces. However, the study also revealed instances where children demonstrated strong agentic capacities, expressing confidence in their intelligence and belief in their ability to influence their learning, independent of adult validation. These findings emphasize the critical importance of positioning early childhood settings as dialogic spaces within the participatory rights framework, spaces in which children’s voices are not only genuinely heard but also hold meaningful influence. Achieving this requires that teachers actively affirm the significance and value of children’s contributions, thereby fostering an environment in which children are confident that adults are attentive and responsive to their perspectives.
Naseema Shaik (Mon,) studied this question.