Listening to children's voices and perspectives to inform healthcare and education policy and procedures

Impact: Quality of life Impact, Social Impact

Impact summary

The Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research Group (ECIR; 2021-2024) was funded by the Charles Sturt University Sturt Scheme in 2021. Prior to this, it was known as the Early Childhood Research Group.
Key activities of the group included organising two Early Childhood Voices Conferences (ECV2020 and ECV2022), developing an international Children Draw Talking Gallery, and supporting early and mid-career researchers within health, education, and/or social care fields to develop their research skills. Activities have supported these member to complete post-graduate studies, publish and present research locally and internationally, and apply for grant funding.
Through these activities which engage with early childhood educators, health care and social care providers and practitioners, the rights, perspectives and voices of children are put at the centre of policy and practice decisions in order to enhance children’s wellbeing and participation in decisions affecting their lives.

Research and engagement activities leading to impact


ECIR members established and ran the online Early Childhood Voices Conference in 2020(ECV2020) and 2022 (ECV2022). At ECV2020 there were 2,847 people registered from 70 countries, 8 keynote presentations with 9 invited speakers and 89 oral presentations. At ECV2022 there were 1956 registrations from 72 countries, 6 keynote presentations and 120 oral presentations.
Representatives were from Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, Granada, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Réunion, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (includes England, Regno Unito, Northern Ireland, Scotland), United States of America, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The profession/disciplines represented at the conference included international academics and researchers from early childhood education, education, higher education, speech-language pathology, psychology, social work, and nursing fields.
ECIR members developed the Children Draw Talking Gallery in conjunction with ECV2022 which received 200 virtual submissions from children around the globe. The submissions included children’s drawings of themselves talking to someone. The children were from 21 countries: (Africa), Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Croatia, Fiji, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, United States.
Following the conference and Children Draw Talking project, a submission featuring outcomes from the Children Draw talking project was submitted to the United Nations for the development of the Human Rights 75 Youth Declaration. Their ECIR group submission can be accessed on the United Nations’ website (see related links).
Furthermore, ECIR members co-edited and co-authored a book titled Early Childhood Voices to be published by Springer in 2024 that brings together professionals across multiple disciplines from 17 countries.
Professor Sharynne McLeod also gave a presentation profiling the ECIR group's work to the University of Cambridge in May 2024

Research outputs associated with the impact

ECV2020 produced a number of research outputs, most notably the book “Early Childhood Voices: Children, Families, Professionals”, edited by Linda Mahony, Sharynne McLeod, Andi Salamon and Jenny Dwyer and published by Springer May 2024. Numerous journal articles were produced from ECV2020 and ECV2022. ECIR members published over 21 journal articles from their ECV2020 presentations and 8 journal publications from ECV2022 with more planned.
From the Children Draw Talking Gallery a submission was made in response to the United Nations’ call for views of youth-led and youth-focused organizations and institutions on the future of human rights for the development of the Human Rights 75 Youth Declaration. An article detailing the results is under review, and another on the protocol developed in progress.

Researcher involvement

There were more than 20 Charles Sturt University researchers from the Faculty of Arts and Education(FOAE) and Faculty of Science and Health (FOSH) involved in running both ECV2020 and ECV2022. These researchers took on various diverse roles as listed in the compendium of each conference (e.g., Conference Chair, Yarning Circle Facilitator, abstract reviewer, etc.). These roles provided committee members with an opportunity to learn project management, scientific reviewing, and collaboration skills. In addition, synchronous conference activities provided online spaces for international networking with research and industry stakeholders from around the world.
Sub-groups of researchers from the larger committee groups also participated in conference proceedings and edited book publications arising from the conferences. Most editors of the ECV2020 book were new to the editorial process.
Another sub-group of interdisciplinary researchers within the ECIR group have analysed content from the Children Draw Talking Gallery within ECV2022 that has resulted in national and international presentations, and multiple publications currently in press or under review.
Importantly, as an interdisciplinary collective the ECIR group has provided a space for development of research mentoring and supervision skills as senior researchers willingly share their knowledge of the research processes for project and conference management, publication, and grant application.

Outcomes of research leading to impact

ECV conference presentations increased presenters research skills, teaching capacity, and self-confidence. The conference also disseminated changes in practices among conference delegates for children and encouraged the incorporation of children’s rights into education and healthcare practices.
There were 97 responses to a feedback survey about ECV2022. When asked “What learnings from ECV2022 can you apply in your practice?” respondents embraced a wide range of topics indicating the attendee’s application to research and practice. For example, a participate stated they “got many fresh perspectives and ideas from the presentations and keynote speakers which [they] would definitely use or reflect in my practice”. Other responses related to specific areas for implementation; including: “innovative ideas about how to be more inclusive of children voices”, “how to build relationships”, “building educator capacity”, and “lots of things about education, parenting, children's learning etc”.
Some conference participants indicated they would use the presentations to inform their future research practices; including: “ethical and methodological considerations for future research”, “sociocultural theory of child development”, and ways of “including children's voices in research”. Some indicated they would use the presentations in their teaching, for example one participant stated they viewed “a range [of presentations] - from effective presentation ideas as a lecturer, to content to help with coursework development and overall practice”.
As a result of ECIR's ongoing research and engagement, and through the presentation at the University of Cambridge by Professor McLeod in May 2024, the group have been invited to be considered as a World Health Organisaiton (WHO) Colloborating Centre. A WHO Collaborating Centre "is an institution designated by the Director-General of WHO to form part of an international collaborative network set up by WHO in support of its programme at the country, intercountry, regional, interregional and global levels." (WHO, 2024).

Beneficiaries of the impact

Overall, ECV conferences benefited over 200 presenters and 4,800 attendees through increased knowledge about enhanced practices, service delivery, and ethical practice. A number of conference participants were located in low- or middle-income countries. Free participation improved the social and educational inclusion of marginalised groups in those LMIC countries.
Aggregated children’s voices were heard at an international level, potentially impacting on United Nations policy. Feedback from families and children who participated in the Children Draw Talking project identified that their benefits included opportunities for people internationally to listen to what they have to say and think both positive and negative. Children felt hopeful for their future due to the experience and had an opportunity to see different future career pathways (e.g., becoming a researcher) and be less fearful of university spaces. Through presentations of the Children Draw Talking project other researchers identified a change in their practices around research with children and how they ask for children’s feedback. The awareness, attitudes or understanding of (sections of) the public have been informed, and their ability to make informed decisions on issues improved, by engaging them with this research. This research has also contributed to a wider public understanding of basic standards of human rights conceptions around voice for children.

Details of the impact achieved

ECIR members were awarded a 2023 Charles Sturt Excellence Awards: Research. This was a team award recognizing the research capacity building activities for research excellence of the ECIR.
Through the ECV conference, Children Draw Talking project and engagement with policy makers ECIR’s interdisciplinary collective research is emphasising the importance of children’s access to participation in and outcomes from equitable, quality early childhood programs and services as well as children’s rights in particular their communication rights.
Impact date2021
Category of impactQuality of life Impact, Social Impact
Impact levelInternational

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
  • SDG 4: Quality Education
  • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities