The Future of Childhood

The Future of Childhood

Articles from the Alliance for Childhood Brussels conference, 11-14 October 2000 – Christopher Clouder, Sally Jenkinson, Martin Large, editors – Children create our future with their gifts and talents, yet what is the significance of childhood for us today? Is childhood vanishing under the weight of poverty, commercialism, stress, and social breakdown? With such threats to childhood, how can we create a healthy world for bringing up children? – The Alliance for Childhood is a forum where individuals and organizations can work together out of respect for childhood, in a world-wide effort to improve children's lives. – The Alliance has convened this Brussels conference to explore the following questions: What is childhood for today's children? What rights do children have? How are parents, professionals and policy makers shaping children's lives? How are commercialism and the media affecting children? What is the impact of hunger, violence, discrimination and abuse? Child labor and prostitution? What guidelines will help form a new environment for children? – This lively collection of articles by Conference presenters offers stimulating insight for dialogue about how we can give due respect to children. Here are Cathy Nutbrown's 20 Questions for Childhoods in the 21st Century, a shortened UN Charter of Children's Rights and Childhood by the Alliance. There are useful references, contacts and resources for networking. – Contributors include: Dr Cathy Nutbrown – University of Sheffield – Joan Almon – Alliance for Childhood – Dr Helen Prochazka – Dr O Fred Donaldson – Wendy Scott – British Association for Early Childhood Education – Mary Jane Drummond – University of Cambridge – Sally Jenkinson – Alliance and UK Steiner Waldorf Kindergarten Advisor – Christopher Clouder – Alliance and UK Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship – Jane Lane – Early Years Trainers Anti-Racist Network – Martin Large – Marilyn Benoit, MD.