Newly established Children’s Voices Centre aims to champion children’s rights 

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has established the Children’s Voices Centre (CVC), a transformative research initiative that champions children’s communication rights.

The Centre’s research focusses on two themes ─ children, families and communities, and workforce and policy, and will collaborate with children, families, communities, practitioners and professionals to conduct world-leading interdisciplinary research.

CSU has launched a new research centre dedicated to ensuring children’s voices are heard by those responsible for building an inclusive world for everyone. The CVC was announced at the conclusion of the Charles Sturt Early Childhood Voices 2024 Conference (ECV2024) in late November, with Distinguished Professor of Speech and Language Acquisition Sharynne McLeod appointed as the Centre Director.

The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child guides the Centre’s work to ensure children’s voices are heard by those responsible for building an inclusive world for everyone.

“The CVC aims to be a beacon of innovation and inclusivity, empowering all children to communicate, collaborate and create a better future for themselves and the world,” Professor McLeod said.

“The Centre amplifies children’s voices and champions children’s communication, learning, health and development.”

The Centre’s research focuses on two themes ─ children, families and communities, and workforce and policy.

“Our researchers will collaborate with children, families, communities, practitioners and professionals to conduct world-leading, transformative interdisciplinary research with global reach emphasising inclusivity, diversity, social justice, equity, capacity building and innovation,” she said.

The range of disciplines the Centre encompasses are education (early childhood, primary, inclusive education), allied health (speech-language pathology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy), psychology, social work, nursing and paramedicine, communications and media, data science and more.

The CVC will collaborate with government departments, universities, national and international organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), and will engage in settings that include homes, early childhood education and care centres, schools, health and disability services, community settings, businesses, civic settings, leisure and recreation settings.

Currently, there are four key elements of the CVC’s focus:

• Children’s voices
• Multilingual children’s speech
• Early childhood education and workforce needs
• Children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

Charles Sturt University aligns its research, policies, procedures and other work with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The most relevant SDGs supported by the Children’s Voices Centre are: 3 Good health and Wellbeing; 4 Quality Education; 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth; 10 Reduced Inequalities; and 17 Partnerships for the Goals.