Children’s Right to Play: Lessons from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Finland for Taiwan

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 11:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Unforgetting Childhood: Policy, Practice, and the Futures of Early Learning

Abstract

Play is recognized as a fundamental right under Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, despite this legal recognition, the right to play is still not effectively implemented in many countries. This study conducts a comparative analysis of play-related policies in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Finland, contrasting them with Taiwan’s fragmented framework. The analysis identifies key strategies including children participation, cross-sectoral collaboration, and investment in the training of professional educators and playworkers. These findings offer a valuable foundation for informing Taiwan’s future efforts in play policy development.

Authors

• Yulun Hsieh, National Sun Yat-sen University

• Chih-Ching Chang, National Sun Yat-sen University