Children’s Rights in Action | Phoenix Support For Educators

Children’s Rights in Action

A segment from a reflective journal

Sometimes, it’s the smallest moments that spark the biggest shifts. 

One morning (many years ago), it began with something simple, calling the children in for group time, expecting the usual ‘buzz’ of excitement, group times in my program were always voluntary, filled with laughter, stories, and connection, so usually everyone joined in willingly. 

But this day felt different. I had no idea that what followed would forever change the way I honour children’s rights in my practice. 

As the children gathered, I noticed their bodies fidgeting, their eyes drifting elsewhere. The energy felt different. They weren’t choosing to be there with joy, they were there out of routine. 

Still, I carried on for a few minutes before I stopped and really saw them. 

“You’re not really into this today, are you?” I asked gently. 

A ripple of honesty flowed back: 

“We just want to play.” 

I paused, took a breath, and smiled. 

“Thanks for showing up,” I said. “But you don’t have to stay. If you’d rather play, you’re absolutely free to go.” 

And just like that… mass exodus. 

The group scattered with laughter and lightness, their freedom was instantly visible and was an undeniably joyous and heartfelt to witness. A few children stayed behind, curling in close, ready to hear a story. 

As I watched them, something shifted deep within me. 

I realised I had just witnessed children’s rights in motion, not as words on a poster, but as living, breathing practice. 

The right to play.   (Article 31)

The right to move their bodies. (Based on article 31)

The right to be heard.  (Based on Article 12)

The right to have a say in decisions that affect them.  (Article 12)

It struck me that upholding children’s rights isn’t always about grand gestures or special projects. It’s lived in the quiet, everyday choices we make, in those small moments when we choose to listen, to honour, and to trust. 

That day, a simple act of letting go became a profound reminder: when we truly see children as capable, autonomous beings, when we give them agency, it changes not just their experience, but us as educators, forever. 

Everyone should know about children’s rights:  Children’s Week 2025  

Children’s Week, 18–26 October, is a national celebration that shines a light on the rights of every child, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) the guiding framework that reminds us of our shared responsibility to uphold and advocate for children’s rights each and every day. It is also a time to pause and celebrate the wonder, strength, and potential of every child. 

This year’s theme, “Everyone should know about Children’s Rights!” draws from Article 42 of the UNCRC:  

“Parties undertake to make the principles and provisions of the Convention widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike.”  

This theme is both an invitation and a call to action, to ensure that children’s rights are not just known, but seen, heard, and lived in the rhythms of everyday practice. It reminds us that these rights come alive when we, as educators, families, and communities, create spaces where children experience genuine belonging, agency, and joy. 

At Phoenix Support for Educators, our mission is grounded in the belief that every child deserves to have their strengths recognised, their voices heard, their needs nurtured, and their dignity upheld. We advocate for the delight of childhood and support educational communities where every child and adult can thrive together in learning, respect and wonder. 


Embedding Children’s Rights into Practice 

Children’s Week is more than an annual event, it’s an invitation to pause, reflect, and evolve our practice. It offers us more than an opportunity for themed activities; it invites us to look deeply at how our everyday decisions, environments, and interactions can symbolise children’s rights. It encourages us to weave these rights meaningfully into the fabric of our routines, relationships, and pedagogical choices, so that they are not simply spoken about, but lived each day.  

This year, rather than asking “What activities can we plan?”, we might instead wonder: 

  • What one aspect of my practice could I shift to better honour children’s rights? 
  • How can we engage children more meaningfully in service governance (Quality Area 7), to have a real voice in decisions that affect them? 
  • How might we make children’s rights visible through our relationships, language, and the culture of our service? 

When we begin to see children’s rights as threads woven through everything we do, not as add-ons, but as part of the fabric of our pedagogy, we transform practice. Each respectful choice, each moment of listening, becomes advocacy in action. These powerful intentions can create environments where children don’t just learn about their rights, but experience them through trust, respect, and genuine participation. 

The 2025 Children’s Week Poster 

Each year, a child’s artwork is selected to represent the national theme. For 2025, six-year-old Keiko Prasetyo created an incredible piece titled “Bubble Rights.” 

Keiko shared: 

“I love to play with bubbles. This drawing is about children’s rights to be safe and grow. They need to have a family, to have a safe home, a warm bed and to eat. They need to have a school, to play, to talk or to say what they want and to be listened to, even with a book [PECS] if they can’t talk.” 

Keiko’s words remind us that children’s rights are not abstract ideas, they live in the small moments of childhood: in play, in safety, in family, in belonging, and in the simple act of being heard. 

Download this year’s poster and social media graphics here. 

Bringing the Theme to Life in Learning Environments 

Children’s Week offers a powerful opportunity to celebrate and reflect alongside children, families, and communities. For practice inspiration, here are some ways educators can bring the theme to life across settings: 

Early Childhood Settings 

  • Create a “Rights Tree” where children and families contribute drawings or messages about what makes them feel safe, heard, and respected. 
  • Share children’s voices through displays, storytelling, or photography that highlight their play, ideas, and perspectives. 
  • Invite families to share stories of their child’s strengths and achievements. 
  • Protect time for authentic, uninterrupted play, where children’s agency and creativity lead the way. 

School Age Care Settings 

  • Host a Children’s Voices Forum where children share what matters most to them, displaying their ideas within the service or community. 
  • Explore the theme through art, music, or performance projects that celebrate children’s rights and identity. 
  • Invite children to co-design experiences, ensuring their choices shape the program. 
  • Strengthen connection and belonging through yarning circles, group rituals, or shared projects. 

Schools 

  • Engage students in exploring the UNCRC through inquiry, storytelling, and discussion. 
  • Support student-led projects that raise awareness and celebrate advocacy for children’s rights. 
  • Collaborate to create a mural or exhibition inspired by Keiko’s “Bubble Rights.” 
  • Co-create class agreements that reflect respect, dignity, and collective responsibility. 

When children’s rights guide our pedagogy, we begin to see learning through a new lens, one shaped by trust, respect, and hope. 

By embedding this year’s theme into our daily practices, through child-led play, nurturing relationships, and inclusive, safe environment, we remind children, and ourselves, that their rights are not abstract principles, but living, breathing experiences. 

This Children’s Week, let’s honour the joy and wonder of childhood, the power of voice, and the shared responsibility we all carry, and continue to build a world where every child’s voice is heard, acknowledged, lived and celebrated; a world where their rights truly matter. 

Resources for Educators and Teachers 

Across Australia, each State and Territory has its own dedicated team bringing Children’s Week to life. Follow the links below to explore inspiring resources and see how communities near you are celebrating and honouring children’s voices and rights. 

Author: Tara Hill

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