Thesis
The significance of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child for child care services in Australia
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Master of Education, University of the Sunshine Coast
2009
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00355
Abstract
The number of families accessing child care in Australia has rapidly increased over the past two decades. The demand for child care services, and the growing acceptance of children being cared for outside the family home, reflects changes in Australia's social and economic conditions. This research project utilises the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to inform the conceptualisation of this study. The study investigates how young children's rights (0-5 years) are being represented in long day care services in Australia, by current policy, procedures and practices. The project is a case study of four long day care services owned and operated by Willow City Council in Melbourne, Victoria, and draws solely on the data collected in that municipality. The region of Willow encompasses one of the most geographically, culturally and linguistically diverse populations of Melbourne. The data presented in this thesis provides a written description of the actual practices of child care staff within their daily programs and identifies how they conceptualise and represent the rights of the young children in their care. The findings of this project consider and discuss policies, procedures and practices, which reflect children's rights and identifies those, that need to be amended to further represent the interests of young children. The results of this study, while limited to one geographical area, could prove meaningful and relevant to long day care services across Australia, particully to those in culturally and linguistically diverse areas. This study is also significant as it contributes towards the literature surrounding child care and is the first study in Australia to utilise the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as a framework to examine the representation of young children's rights in child care services.
Details
- Title
- The significance of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child for child care services in Australia
- Authors
- Elizabeth Muller
- Contributors
- Tania Aspland (Supervisor)
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- Degree awarded
- Master of Education
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00355
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99449729602621
- Output Type
- Thesis
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