2018 Volume 18 Pages 42-53
The purpose of this study was to investigate the significance of and issues concerning the child’s right to express his or her own views, for children living in residential children’s homes. Particular focus was placed upon examining the role of the responsive child-childcare worker relationship in achieving this end. The method of research involved conducting a literature search and analyzing the content of relevant literature. Many children in child foster care institutions struggle to express their own views. In order to guarantee their right to be heard, it is important that the childcare worker responds actively to the child’s independent actions and/or opinions, and adjusting their responses in accordance to the child’s development.
The literature review results suggested that supporting the child’s right to express his/her views facilitates the child’s development towards independence by, ① preparing the child to make decisions on their own, ② facilitating an improved sense of self-determination, and ③ improving collective decision making skills. The issues identified by the literature review were, ① the need to adjust relevant laws, ② improving childcare worker skills, and ③ recovering the child’s ability to express their thoughts and feelings.
