Here in an extract from Listening to young disabled children, Mary Dickins shows how to lend an ear
By listening properly we acknowledge children's rights to be listened to and for their views and experiences to be taken seriously. It can make a difference to our understanding of children's priorities, interests and concerns; it can make a difference to how children feel about themselves; and it is vital to establishing respectful relationships with the children we work with.
Opportunities to make choices and to engage in and contribute to sensible decision making are crucial for all children, but there are issues for disabled children that make listening particularly important.
For example, disabled children:
* are subject to a much higher degree of adult intervention and their scope for making day-to-day choices and decisions is often severely limited;
* have many things done to and for them and they are significantly more vulnerable to abuse than non-disabled children (NSPCC);
* are more likely to be subject to a number of medical interventions and treatments;
* are more likely to be subject to various kinds of assessment procedures and less likely to be involved in the process;
* are more likely to be excluded from consultation processes because these are often based on written and spoken language;
* are supported by parents and staff who are more likely to see their roles as advocates rather than listeners.
One final reason to include disabled children is that doing so will improve practice with all children. 'For many young children speech and language are not the best routes of communication, especially about wishes and feelings. Creating listening environments that are inclusive will benefit all children' (Marchant and Jones 2003).
Models of disability
Throughout history society has sought to explain disability to itself. The following two models illustrate current thinking: The medical model This is the view that because disability is caused by 'impairment(s)' professionals must cure or alleviate it in order to be seen as successful. It is a medical 'problem' which we must 'treat'. The impairment thus becomes the primary focus of attention. In this model the child is seen as faulty.
The social model This model of disability demands that we listen to disabled children and adults and take their views on board. This is the view that dis(ability) is socially constructed. It is the social and physical barriers that society creates that are seen as the disabling factors and not the individual's impairment(s). This model enables us to accept and value difference.
Viewed from the perspective of the social model 'many of the problems faced by disabled adults and children are not caused by their conditions or impairments, but by societal values, service structures, or adult behaviour' (Marchant and Jones 1999).
Although, in recent years, considerable attention has been directed at seeking the views of children generally, younger disabled children in particular have remained a neglected group.
Under recent disability discrimination legislation (the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001) all early years providers have a duty not to discriminate against disabled pupils in education and social care or other services made within their provision. And in particular, 'not to treat disabled children "less favourably'' for a reason related to their disability'.
Failure to include disabled children in consultations and planning along with their peers might well fall into this category as case law is gradually established.
How can we listen?
Communication difficulties are most often cited as the reason why disabled children, especially younger ones, are not consulted. Adults often fear that they require specific expertise to listen to disabled children. But spoken language is only one of a range of methods that we employ to communicate our thoughts, feelings, information and ideas. Body language, humming, laughing, kissing, hugging, blinking and crying are just some of the ways in which we naturally express ourselves. So, although some new resources and skills may be needed, attitudes and approaches are very important.
Listening to disabled children can be divided into three categories:
* focused listening to individual children - perhaps as part of a specific consultation or assessment procedure;
* inclusive strategies that include the 'voice' of the disabled child as a fully fledged and participating member of a group;
* everyday listening and consultation as a vital element of good early years practice.
Listening to young disabled children effectively, particularly if their needs are complex, may sometimes involve learning new communication techniques, but more often than not it is a question of acknowledging and 'fine tuning' the skills that effective practitioners already use everyday, including sensitivity, creativity and intuition.
Listening to individual children
It is very important to collect as much information as you can from parents, professionals and other carers about how the individual child already communicates. Other children, siblings and friends may also have important knowledge and observations to contribute. Observation of the individual child and how they interact and communicate is an essential part of this process.
Observing children is as important as listening to what they say - much of what young children say would not make sense without observation. Children communicate, for example, through their behaviour, art, gestures and sounds and also by their inaction, what they choose not to do or say.
It is important, where possible, to establish the child's means of communicating 'yes' and 'no' - this might be blinking or even sneezing - and to incorporate where possible a range of familiar objects of reference (toys, books, photographs). Where it is not possible to establish a reliable yes and no it might be helpful to think in terms of distress or happiness, consent or refusal. Interpretation requires careful and sensitive assessment. Smiling, for example, does not automatically mean yes.
Listening to individual children also involves becoming a more effective listener. The following guidelines for effective listening were developed as part of the Save the Children CHOOSE project, which used equality training and awareness raising in order to develop 'whole setting'
inclusive approaches and strategies for consulting disabled children and their non-disabled peers in two London nurseries. (Taken from Starting with Choice, p13.)
* Show interest in everything the child has to say, using your judgement later on to draw out the information you actually need for future planning.
* Give children time and try not to interrupt or finish their sentences.
* Don't attempt to fill every silence.
* Make eye contact and get down to the child's level (some autistic children find eye contact very difficult).
* When the child has finished talking, sum up what he has said and reflect it back to him. For example, 'It sounds like you felt very angry when Tommy took your ball away.'
* Don't feel that you have to have an answer or a solution for everything.
* Acknowledge the feelings that are being expressed and give them validity.
* Avoid closed questions that leave you open to a yes/no answer.
For example, 'Are there things you like at nursery? Use open-ended questions instead. For example, 'Tell me some of the things you like about nursery.'
* Remember that 'why?' questions can sound like an accusation.
* Talk respectfully to children; they know when they are being patronised.
* Be honest if you don't know something.
* If you make a mistake, apologise.
CASE STUDY
Staff at Anansi Nursery received training as part of the Save the Children CHOOSE project. They worked with the children to provide the best outdoor environment for everyone.
The nursery used several techniques to consult the children about which of Anansi's two gardens they preferred and they offered clear views, positive and negative. One child said, 'I like the pre-school garden better because there are no boys.' Another repeatedly signed 'tree' in Makaton and located the flash card with a picture of the tree, indicating her desire to be taken to the back garden. Staff helped her to climb the tree, where she stayed for half an hour. (Taken from Starting with Choice, p5.) One of the findings of the CHOOSE project was that young children, even those with complex and multiple disabilities, can participate effectively and have a right to do so.
Mary Dickins is a consultant with All Together Consultancy and Training
LISTEN IN
* Listening to young disabled children is part of Listening as a way of life, published by the National Children's Bureau in association with the Sure Start Unit. The other papers within the series are: Why and how we listen to young children - an introduction, Are equalities an issue? Finding out what young children think, Supporting parents and carers to listen - a guide for practitioners and Listening to babies.
Listening as a way of life will be distributed to each local authority and large provider organisations and can be accessed from www.earlychildhood.org.uk from 28 June.
References
* NSPCC (2003) It doesn't happen to disabled children
* Marchant R and Jones M (2003) Getting it right: involving disabled children and young people in assessment, planning and review processes.
Triangle, Brighton
* Marchant R and Jones M (1999) Practice Guidance on Assessing Disabled Children and their Families. Department of Health
* Dickins M, Emerson S and Gordon-Smith P (2003) Starting with Choice. Save the Children
