Participation of children in the policy for the first childhood

Abstract

What public space do children want? What are the possibilities for children's participation in early childhood policy-making? These are the issues discussed in this text. Based on the analysis of children's participation in the elaboration of the Early Childhood Municipal Plan in Guanambi - Bahia, and the study of documents and theoretical productions on child participation, we sought to reflect on the challenges of including children in political decisions. The right to participation is a construction of international politics for children, which affirms the need to "listen" to children on matters that concern them. The prerogative of listening, however, encounters methodological challenges, as well as the paradoxes discussed by several authors (QVORTRUP, 2010; HART, 1993) about what can be considered as children's participation. In the case of listening to children that will be presented throughout the text, we adopted data generation devices inspired by the mosaic approach (Clark et al, 2008). We used images projection, oral narratives, assembly with blocks, drawings, wheels of conversations and excursions with film narratives. The data show that children point to perspectives of changes in the public space, especially in those in which they travel daily. The priorities expressed in the narratives refer to spaces with lawn soccer field, school play, cheerful and colorful hospital, streets with toys and nature preservation, and challenge the current plan, which emphasizes basic needs related to social assistance, education and health.