Excerpts from the brief:
This research study was commissioned by the Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Unit, now the Sure Start Unit of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). The aim was to carry out a State of the Art Review into listening to and consulting with young children, under five years old. The focus of the review was young children's views and experiences of education and childcare. The principle objectives were to examine:
Methodology: different approaches used in research and consultations for listening to young children, including those which can operate alongside listening to practitioners and parents and tools which are open to young children with special needs
Impact: evidence gained of children's experiences and priorities and subsequent changes to attitudes and practice . This includes evidence of the impact of listening on practitioners, parents and young children.
The final stage of the review was to identify good practice in listening to and consulting with young children, drawn from a range of early years provision
The research was undertaken by Alison Clark, Susan McQuail and Peter Moss of the Thomas Coram Research Unit which is part of the Institute of Education, at the University of London.