‘Positive recognition’ as a preventive approach in child and youth welfare services

Abstract

The public welfare services provided to children and young people in Finland have proved insufficient and costly. Some concerns have also been voiced about the ways in which measures intended as supportive end up labelling their recipients as ‘problem youth’. In response, alternatives to the dominant ‘early intervention’ paradigm have been developed, with emphasis on preventive support for children and youth in general. In line with these policies, this article introduces the idea of ‘positive recognition’, developed in our recent study. Drawing from recognition theories, and in collaboration with professionals working with children and youth, we have developed a theoretically informed practical approach to fostering children and young people’s wellbeing at large, as part of everyday professional practices in institutional and non-institutional settings, and explored its potential in the prevention of social problems and marginalisation among children and youth. The paper provides a brief overview of the theoretical background of positive recognition in the context of social pedagogy, introduces how the approach can be implemented in professional practices with children and young people, and discusses the potentials of these alternative welfare practices to social pedagogy in Finland and beyond.

Frontline Workers’ Challenges in Hearing Children’s Voices in Family Support Services

“…Research demonstrates the effectiveness of processes supporting children's participation such as their inclusion in family meetings (Kennan et al, 2018). Such practice not only improves quality and responsiveness of service provision (Salveron et al, 2013;Woodman et al, 2018), it helps to build a sense of belonging, self-esteem, responsibility (Shier, 2001), and sets the foundations of citizenship and democratic participation (Hart, 1992;Häkli et al, 2018;James & Prout, 1997). Having a voice is also a protective factor from harm (Kosher & Ben-Arieh, 2020) and key to promoting children's wellbeing, safety, and life development (Valentine et al, 2016, p. 60).…”

Children at transition from primary school reflecting on what schools are for – narratives of connectedness, (mis)recognition and becoming

“…Others have drawn on recognition theory to examine children’s experiences in schools (Graham et al, 2017; Thomas et al, 2016) or care settings (Warming, 2016), particularly in relation to children’s well-being. With an emphasis on empowering relationships and a holistic view of becoming and development (Hakli et al, 2018), we aim to add to the evidence on children’s own accounts of schools as institutions designed to enable their social and personal development and as places of meaningful belonging.…”

Skatescape in the Making: Developing Sustainable Urban Pedagogies through Transdisciplinary Education

“…Additionally, the first author has long-term experience of co-creational research with professionals working with children, youth, and families, including youth workers, teachers, care workers, social workers, welfare and health professionals, and administrative personnel from all these fields [41][42][43]. In this line of research, she has developed a theoretically informed practical approach of Positive Recognition, in multi-disciplinary and multi-professional collaboration [44]. The co-creative work seeks to advance wellbeing among children and young people as well as to prevent marginalization in the society.…”