Participation Works

Here are five local authority case studies to illustrate different approaches to listening to and participation with young children.

Putting listening practice at the heart of early years practice evaluation case studies.

These case studies highlight pathways to mainstream listening, perceived outcomes, interviewees’ perceptions of what worked well, and a range of practice examples from settings. These five case studies formed part of a second evalutation of the Young Children's Voices Network in 2011.

Here are two templates which can be used to help evaluate and record examples of your listening practice with young children.

Guidance for using YCVN Example Templates

YCVN Project Template (71kb PDF)

This template can be used to show how a listening project has affected the development and/embedding of a listening culture within your early years service/s. Projects are designed to be short term and introducing change - one the change is made the project should no longer be needed as listening practice becomes integrated into everyday practice and the ethos of settings. 

YCVN Policy Example Template (67kb PDF)

This template can be used to show how your listening practice has been influenced local strategy and policy. This might be the result of a specific listening project or consultation, or a collection of findings drawn from:

• Collated findings from a local YCVN (practitioner group who meet to support and share learning from their listening practice)
• ongoing evaluation of services
• ongoing practitioner observation and reflection
• a number of listening projects
• action research project/s

What can I use these for?

You can use these forms for your local records or adapt accordingly to raise the profile of your listening practice and its affects on local services. You can request a word version of this template to fill in electronically.

You are also invited to submit your example to be made available on the Participation Works Gateway.

Please contact Daisy Hirst to discuss: dhirst@ncb.org.uk 0207 843 6064. Examples can be gathered via telephone interview and agreed by both parties in preparation for inclusion on the webpage.

You can also download a copy of this guidance information.