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UNCRC in Early Years Practice
Put children’s rights at the heart of everyday practice.
Children’s rights are not just something Early Years practitioners need to know about. They should be visible in the way children are listened to, included, supported, protected and involved in the decisions that affect them.
Our Children’s Rights in Early Years: Putting the UNCRC into Practice course helps practitioners understand the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and, importantly, what a rights-based approach actually looks like during an ordinary day in an Early Years setting.
Rather than focusing on memorising articles or legislation, this practical course explores the everyday situations where children’s rights come to life — from choices and communication to personal care, inclusion, play, boundaries, risk and safety.
Practitioners are encouraged to look at practice through the child’s eyes and consider an important question:
What does it actually feel like to be a child in our setting?
What This Course Covers
Throughout the course, learners will explore:
– What children’s rights are and the principles of the UNCRC
– Key rights relevant to Early Years practice
– Children’s voice, choice and meaningful participation
– Recognising communication beyond spoken words
– The difference between listening to children and genuinely allowing their views to influence practice
– Dignity, privacy, equality and inclusion
– Identifying and removing barriers to participation
– Why treating children fairly does not always mean treating everyone exactly the same
– Balancing children’s rights with safety, boundaries and best interests
– Supporting appropriate risk and exploration
– Creating a rights-respecting Early Years environment
– Recognising whose voices may be easiest to hear — and whose may be unintentionally missed
– Embedding children’s rights into everyday routines, interactions and decision-making
What This Course Covers
Throughout the course, learners will explore:
– What children’s rights are and the principles of the UNCRC
– Key rights relevant to Early Years practice
– Children’s voice, choice and meaningful participation
– Recognising communication beyond spoken words
– The difference between listening to children and genuinely allowing their views to influence practice
– Dignity, privacy, equality and inclusion
– Identifying and removing barriers to participation
– Why treating children fairly does not always mean treating everyone exactly the same
– Balancing children’s rights with safety, boundaries and best interests
– Supporting appropriate risk and exploration
– Creating a rights-respecting Early Years environment
– Recognising whose voices may be easiest to hear — and whose may be unintentionally missed
– Embedding children’s rights into everyday routines, interactions and decision-making
Practical, Reflective Learning
This course has been designed specifically for people working with young children.
Learners work through realistic Early Years situations and consider how the decisions practitioners make can affect a child’s experience of their rights.
The course includes:
Video learning
Short, focused videos introduce and reinforce key concepts.
Realistic case studies
Practical situations encourage learners to apply rights-based principles to everyday practice.
Interactive activities
Learners explore choices, communication, inclusion, risk, boundaries and participation through interactive learning.
Reflective practice
Reflection activities encourage practitioners to consider their own environment, routines and interactions.
Practical downloadable resources
Learners receive tools that can continue to be used within their setting after completing the course.
Downloadable Resources Included
The course includes four practical resources:
– Children’s Rights in Everyday Practice – Quick Guide
– Children’s Voice & Participation Checklist
– Rights-Respecting Environment Audit
– Listening to Children – Team Reflection Sheet
These can be used for individual reflection, staff meetings, supervision and wider setting development.
Who Is This Course For?
Suitable for:
– Early Years practitioners
– Nursery practitioners
– Childminders
– Room leaders
– Senior practitioners
– Early Years managers and leaders
– Support staff
– Students and apprentices working in Early Years
The course is particularly relevant to those working within Scottish Early Learning and Childcare settings.
No previous knowledge of the UNCRC is required.
Course Content
Lesson 1 – Understanding Children’s Rights and the UNCRC
Understand what children’s rights are, what the UNCRC means and why rights are different from wants.
Lesson 2 – Key UNCRC Rights in Early Years Practice
Explore important rights relating to non-discrimination, best interests, participation, privacy, protection and play — and how these rights work together.
Lesson 3 – Voice, Choice and Participation
Consider the many ways children communicate and what meaningful participation looks like beyond simply asking children what they want.
Lesson 4 – Dignity, Equality and Inclusion
Explore privacy, dignity, equitable practice and how environments and adult expectations can create or remove barriers.
Lesson 5 – Balancing Rights, Safety and Best Interests
Consider how practitioners can maintain appropriate boundaries, manage risk and protect children while continuing to respect their rights and views.
Lesson 6 – Putting Children’s Rights into Everyday Practice
Bring the learning together by examining routines, interactions, environments and decisions through the child’s experience.
Lesson 7 – Additional Resources, Useful Links & Course Summary
Access practical resources, trusted guidance and tools to support continued rights-based practice.
Assessment & Certification
Learners complete a 10-question final assessment covering learning from across the course, including realistic Early Years scenarios that require them to apply children’s rights principles to everyday practice.
A score of 80% or higher is required to successfully complete the course. Learners who do not achieve the required score can revisit the course content and retake the assessment.
On successful completion, learners can download their First Stop Safety Training Certificate of Completion.
CPD Accredited Training
Children’s Rights in Early Years: Putting the UNCRC into Practice is independently accredited by The CPD Group.
Successful completion provides:
2 CPD Credits
The course has been independently assessed against The CPD Group’s accreditation framework, providing recognised evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
Learners can save or print their certificate and use it as evidence of professional learning within:
– CPD and training records
– Supervision and appraisal
– Professional development portfolios
– Staff development records
– Workplace learning and reflective practice
