[OTTAWA, 15 November 2006] - On November 20, the Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF) will celebrate National Child Day by highlighting the child's right to be heard. "I Have the Right to be Heard" raises awareness of the child's right to express views within the family, school, associations and politics, and to become an active participant in decision-making processes in these settings. It considers children both as individuals and as a specific group that is important to society. "Every day, early learning and child care practitioners in quality child care settings across Canada honour the child's right to be heard. They listen actively to the children in their care, give them choices and encourage their participation," said Brigid Rivoire, CCCF executive director. "CCCF is pleased to highlight this rights-respecting approach and to share resources with the wider community working with children." The child's right to be heard was the topic of the United Nation's Day of General Discussion, which took place in September 2006 in Geneva. CCCF participated in this annual event by submitting a paper, entitled To Speak, Participate and Decide: The Child's Right to be Heard. The theme was also the focus of the fall issue of CCCF's quarterly magazine, Interaction. "By honouring a child's right to be heard in the early years, we can encourage active participation in our youngest citizens within their community of family and school and to become an active participant in the decision-making processes in these settings," said Rivoire, "This also helps to plant the seeds for them to become more active in their community and in society in general as they grow older." CCCF has developed a poster and an online toolkit including resource sheets, articles and other information on this right, as outlined in Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Production of the "I Have the Right to Be Heard" poster was made possible through a financial contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada. National Child Day is an annual event, proclaimed by the Government of Canada on March 19, 1993 to commemorate two historic events for children - the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Children in 1959, and the UN adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. CCCF is a vibrant partnership of 21 provincial/territorial child care organisations that represents over 11,500 members, including child care practitioners working in centres and family child care, academics, parents and policy makers. CCCF is committed to excellence in early learning and child care through best and promising practice, capacity building, and collaborations, networks and partnerships.
Canadian Child Care Federation celebrates National Child Day by highlighting the child's right to be heard
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