Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Child Indicators Research, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
The system of child participation emerges as a product of the sustained commitment and collaborative engagement of everyone within educational settings. Beyond the adoption of relevant policies, administrators, teachers, and other key stakeholders engage in coordinated efforts to operationalize and institutionalize meaningful participation practices. This study explores the perceptions and experiences of preschool children and their teachers concerning child participation within schools that actively implement children’s councils. Employing a qualitative case study design, this research utilized semi-structured interviews with 11 teachers and 15 children from two schools affiliated with the “Another School is Possible” initiative in Turkey. Thematic analysis revealed six key themes: definitions of child participation, rule-setting processes, council functioning, classroom practices, perceived benefits, and suggestions for enhancing participation. Findings reveal that participation as a fundamental democratic right and perceive school councils as effective platforms for fostering shared decision-making. Children articulated feelings of empowerment and being heard, whereas teachers emphasized significant enhancements in children’s emotional resilience, communication competencies, sense of agency and, allowing children to emerge as responsible, self-assured individuals equipped with a strong and influential voice in society. Children in these schools exhibit a high degree of emotional resilience; nevertheless, there are certain circumstances in which the level of child participation remains low in terms of practical application. Notwithstanding these, limitations in the scope of participation—particularly concerning out-of-school decisions—were noted. The study highlights the transformative potential of meaningful child participation in early childhood education and provides valuable insights for expanding participatory practices across diverse educational contexts.