BECERA 2025 Keynote
Space, voice, audience and influence: children's right to be heard in early childhood
LAURA LUNDY - Queen’s University, Belfast / University College Cork / co-Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Children’s Rights
Laura Lundy is Co-Director of the Centre for Children’s Rights and Professor of Education Law and Children’s Rights at Queen’s University, Belfast, Professor of Law at University College Cork and a barrister at law. She is co-Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Children’s Rights. Her expertise is in law and human rights with a particular focus on children’s right to participate in decision-making and education rights. Her 2007 paper in the British Educational Research Journal, “’Voice’ is not enough” is one of the most highly cited academic papers on children’s rights ever. The model of children’s participation it proposes (based on four key concepts - Space, Voice, Audience and Influence) is used extensively in scholarship and practice. The “Lundy model” has been adopted by numerous national governments, including Ireland it its national strategy and framework on child and youth participation, as well as international organisations including the European Commission, Council of Europe, World Health Organisation and UNICEF.
Useful links
Attend BECERA 2025
Birmingham | 17th February
make new connections ~ network with like minded individuals ~ inform and develop your own work ~ learn about the latest ECEC research ~ discuss current sector issues ~ present own research ~ grow as a professional ~ improve outcomes for children
What our conference attendees have said
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Fantastic event and really supportive environment. This was my first time presenting at a conference and what a great place to start! Everyone was very supportive, helpful and it was great to be in a room full of people who all wanted to make children's worlds a better one!
Conference feedback form
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I found the conference inspirational. It was great to be in the company of so many people passionate about early years. The conference provided a real boost for my studies. I learned a great deal and was given plenty of food for thought. I even used some of the ideas in my assignment!
Caroline Minchin, CREC MA Year 2 (2022-23)
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I really enjoyed the conference. It was an amazing experience to present alongside other like minded people doing really important research. It was a chance for me to connect with other researchers and educators and I hope to attend future conferences.
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A wonderful and nourishing day and highly recommended to all researchers and practitioners alike.
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I very much enjoyed the conference, thank you to everyone who organised it and participated. I would definitely attend again.
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Thank you - a really inspiring conference which challenged my thinking and prompted me into action!
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Attending BECERA gave me plentiful opportunities to have thoughtful, reflective, and stimulating discussions and connections amongst like-minded, passionate early childhood people. I came away with copious notes, reflections, and references to explore – these will continue to shape my ongoing thinking, learning, reflections, and study. BECERA offered me a wonderfully warm, welcoming, and safe space to explore all things early childhood research, practice and thinking.
Debbie Garvey, CREC MA Year 2 (2022-23)
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It is an amazing day. This is my first, but definately not my last! Very organised, lots of comfort breaks, lovely venue and atmosphere. It is a shame that so many presentations overlap so you cannot see them all, but the abstracts prior are useful guidance for what interests you.
Conference feedback form
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The morning keynote reaffirmed there was an appetite for my approach to research in the early childhood sector. The messages and priorities aligned with my own research design and this was so validating (and interesting) to learn more about.
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Your space to enquire and discuss current and emerging research, new concepts and challenges relevant to your study and work with young children and families.
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About BECERA
BECERA Conference has been held annually since 2010. It aims to stimulate, support, create and disseminate rigorous, grounded and conceptual knowledge and its applications to early childhood services.
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Conference Abstracts
View PDF copies of our conference books which allows you to use the search function to find authors, titles and abstracts of their papers presented at the annual BECERA Conference.
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Researchers' posts
Take a look at the guest posts to learn more about our presenters’ latest research projects, their wider EY interests and ways you can connect with those of similar research interests to yours.