Space, Voice, Audience, and Influence: The Lundy Model and Early Childhood

Listening to children’s views is not just a model of good pedagogical practice but a legally binding obligation enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (United Nations, 1989). In 2007, as a response to concerns that mantras focused on children’s “voices” do not fully capture the breadth of Article 12, Laura Lundy proposed a model for conceptualising the provision through four interrelated elements: space, voice, audience, and influence. Drawing on practical expertise in early childhood education and research in Rwanda, this chapter revisits these four core concepts, reflecting on the opportunities and barriers to implementing Article 12 for young children and highlighting implications for early childhood practices. Four interrelated issues are discussed: firstly, the relational and emotional elements of creating space; secondly, the practical ways of seeing and listening to young children’s voices; thirdly, the importance of active listening as a responsibility of the audience; and finally, the need for adults to be open to children’s views as a prerequisite to the concept of influence. By addressing these issues, this chapter also offers provocations for applying Sustainable Development Goal 16.7 of involving children in participatory decision-making processes, in early childhood contexts.