TY - JOUR
T1 - The Kids Say Project
T2 - supporting children to talk about their experiences and to engage in decision-making
AU - Grace, Rebekah
AU - Miller, Kim
AU - Blacklock, Sue
AU - Bonser, Gillian
AU - Hayden, Paula
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Research and policy calls for hearing the voices of children and youth in out-of-home care and involving them in decisions about their own lives. The “Kids Say” cards were designed to facilitate this engagement, particularly with Indigenous children and youth. A feasibility study explored the extent to which the Kids Say cards were acceptable to young people, and prompted discussion about their lives and what is important to them. The study involved 47 participants, aged 7 to 18 years, from three cultural groups: Aboriginal n = 20; culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) n = 10; non-Indigenous English-speaking n = 17. The cards were found to be appealing to all three groups, and to facilitate child and youth voice. Findings also did not differ significantly according to gender or age. These preliminary findings indicate the potential value of appropriate practice tools to support children and youth to share their experiences and participate in decision-making. IMPLICATIONSEngaging resources, such as the Kids Say resource, are potentially valuable in supporting practitioners to encourage children and young people to share their experiences and participate in decision-making about their own care and service needs.Training in creating safe sharing contexts for children and young people is essential. While emphasis is often given to gathering child voices, there is a need for at least equal emphasis on respectful adult listening.
AB - Research and policy calls for hearing the voices of children and youth in out-of-home care and involving them in decisions about their own lives. The “Kids Say” cards were designed to facilitate this engagement, particularly with Indigenous children and youth. A feasibility study explored the extent to which the Kids Say cards were acceptable to young people, and prompted discussion about their lives and what is important to them. The study involved 47 participants, aged 7 to 18 years, from three cultural groups: Aboriginal n = 20; culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) n = 10; non-Indigenous English-speaking n = 17. The cards were found to be appealing to all three groups, and to facilitate child and youth voice. Findings also did not differ significantly according to gender or age. These preliminary findings indicate the potential value of appropriate practice tools to support children and youth to share their experiences and participate in decision-making. IMPLICATIONSEngaging resources, such as the Kids Say resource, are potentially valuable in supporting practitioners to encourage children and young people to share their experiences and participate in decision-making about their own care and service needs.Training in creating safe sharing contexts for children and young people is essential. While emphasis is often given to gathering child voices, there is a need for at least equal emphasis on respectful adult listening.
KW - child voice
KW - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People
KW - CALD
KW - practice tools
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044738691&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/0312407X.2018.1447589
DO - 10.1080/0312407X.2018.1447589
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85044738691
VL - 71
SP - 292
EP - 305
JO - Australian Social Work
JF - Australian Social Work
SN - 0312-407X
IS - 3
ER -