Empowering Children: The Importance of Child Agency

As a psychologist working with children and families, I’ve come to understand that while some things we talk about and work on are relevant for the short term and may be quickly forgotten, others are taken by the child and their caregivers into future thinking, having significant and long-term effects. One topic that has become a regular part of my thinking and discussions is Child Agency. My passion for Child Agency is driven by my knowledge of the significant impact that supporting a child’s agency can have – both now and in the future – and also the awareness that in every interaction we have, it can either be supported or overlooked.

Child Agency

Child Agency refers to a child’s ability to make choices, influence their environment, and have a say in matters affecting their life. It’s a concept deeply rooted in cultural and societal expectations, often evolving over time.

Historically, children have been seen as passive recipients of adult decisions, rather than capable individuals with unique and valuable perspectives. While guidance is essential for a child's development, the transition from 'do as you're told' to being an independent adult, making choices, and expressing views is often overlooked.

A Changing Landscape

I feel so blessed that my working life has been at a time when there have been some real shifts in thinking around children and disability. We now recognise that approaches that work to change an individual's authentic self can have lifelong negative impacts. We live in a time when there is growing acceptance of diversity in how people communicate, live and work. We have increased understanding that it is the environment that limits or supports an individual to function and participate, not their disability.

Children’s voices have been recognised with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child stating that:

“Children have the right to say what they think should happen when adults are making decisions that affect them, and have their opinions taken into account."

In terms of urgency and long-term outcomes, we have the outcomes of a Royal Commission identifying significant failings to individuals with a disability when their rights and views were not sought and upheld.

Given the importance of these skills in adulthood and the recognition that the thoughts, feelings, and values of individuals with a disability have often been overlooked, I’ve become increasingly interested in what role we can play in supporting the development of these skills and equipping children with the skills to exercise agency as they develop.

Child Agency in our work

Children’s skills, like walking and talking, grow over time as they develop and with opportunities and practice. The same is true of agency. It takes time, opportunities within their environment and practice, lots of practice. The good news for therapists, teachers and caregivers is that supporting a child’s developing agency isn’t another additional goal on the goal plan, but one that can be supported through our words and actions in every visit and interaction. Alongside caregivers, we can:

• Share information with children about who we are and what we’re doing. Information is power and a person cannot meaningfully participate if they don't understand the situation.
• Seek feedback from children about what they like and don't like about our work together and seek alternatives when something isn’t working for the child.
• Seek their wisdom about their life and what’s important and ensure this information is part of the thinking and planning.
• Partner with caregivers to share why Child Agency is important and to find what this could look like for different children, situations, cultures and contexts.

It’s essential to acknowledge that cultural differences influence our understanding of Child Agency – it is after all culturally determined. While I’ve strongly supported independence and decision-making for my own child from an early age, I recognise that my values around this will often look different to other families. The key is in partnering with individual children and families to explore different perspectives and what Child Agency means within their context.

The Child Agency Toolkit course discusses Child Agency and working in ways that support children to actively participate in our work together. These are vital considerations if we want to have a role in equipping children with the skills they need to navigate life independently. By partnering with families and fostering a sense of agency from a young age, we can help to empower children to become confident, resilient and capable adults. It's a journey that requires patience, understanding, and a genuine belief in a child's capacity for growth, but one that will have significant long-term outcomes.