{"id":1310,"date":"2026-08-30T22:54:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/?p=1310"},"modified":"2026-08-30T22:54:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:54:50","slug":"cvc2026-602","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/cvc2026-602\/","title":{"rendered":"CVC2026-602 \u2013 Beyond access: Centring children\u2019s voices in inclusive digital early childhood practices in resource-constrained contexts"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"cvc-hero alignfull\">\n  <span class=\"cvc-chip\">Presentation \u2013 CVC2026-602<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Beyond access: Centring children\u2019s voices in inclusive digital early childhood practices in resource-constrained contexts<\/h1>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"cvc-authors\">\n<p><strong>Adedayo Olofinnika<\/strong><strong>,<\/strong><strong> <\/strong>Early Childhood Institute, Nigeria<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"ast-oembed-container \" style=\"height: 100%;\"><iframe title=\"CVC2026-602 Beyond access: Centring children\u2019s voices in inclusive digital early childhood practices\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IXc0VgBWiQA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<p><strong>Background:\u00a0<\/strong>Creating an inclusive world for children demands more than digital access\u2014it requires intentional efforts to ensure that young children\u2019s voices, rights, and developmental needs shape how digital environments are designed and experienced. This paper centres children\u2019s participation and inclusion as foundational principles for advancing equitable early childhood development in resource-constrained contexts, with evidence drawn from Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aim:<\/strong>\u00a0The paper introduces the G-SAFE Framework\u2014Guided use, Socio-Emotional Safety, Age-Appropriate Exposure, Family-Embedded Use, and Environment-Aware Design\u2014as a context-responsive model that positions caregivers and educators as intentional facilitators of safe, meaningful, and child-led digital engagement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Method:<\/strong>\u00a0A mixed-methods study involving 150 participants\u2014children aged 5\u20138 (<em>n<\/em>=30), caregivers (<em>n<\/em>=90), and educators (<em>n<\/em>=30)\u2014examined how young children experience learning, communication, and participation across physical and digital spaces. Data were collected through surveys, focus groups, interviews, and child-friendly participatory activities. Thematic and descriptive analyses were conducted. Ethical approval was obtained from the Early Childhood Institute\u2019s Research Ethics Committee; informed consent and child assent were secured throughout.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Results\/findings<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> The findings reveal that digital technologies serve as powerful enablers of inclusion when children\u2019s perspectives are centred and caregiver capacity is intentionally strengthened. However, unregulated exposure deepened exclusion, particularly among children in underserved communities. The findings underscore the importance of centring children\u2019s voices, strengthening caregiver capacity, and developing policies that embed participation rights into early childhood digital governance. The G-SAFE Framework offers educators, caregivers, and policymakers a transferable, evidence-based model for equitable and safe digital engagement\u2014particularly for children in resource-constrained contexts such as Nigeria and beyond.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusio<\/strong><strong>n<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0This paper contributes original empirical and practice-oriented evidence to global discourse on children\u2019s inclusion, rights, and learning, offering insights for practitioners and policymakers committed to building truly inclusive early childhood systems.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications for children\u00a0and families:<\/strong>\u00a0When your voices are heard, your feelings are respected, and your family is involved, technology can help you learn, explore, and belong\u2014safely and confidently. You deserve digital spaces that are designed with you in mind, wherever you are.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications for practitioners:<\/strong>\u00a0You have the power to make digital spaces inclusive. By guiding children intentionally, prioritising their socio-emotional safety, and partnering with families, you can transform technology into a meaningful tool for every child\u2019s learning and participation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Keywords<\/strong>:\u00a0children\u2019s voices and participation, inclusive early childhood development, digital inclusion, safe digital engagement, G-SAFE Framework<\/p>\n<p><strong>This presentation relates to the following\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\"><strong>United Nations Sustainable Development Goals<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"cvc-sdgs\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal3\">SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal4\">SDG 4: Quality Education<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal10\">SDG 10: Reduced Inequality<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal17\">SDG 17:\u00a0Partnerships\u00a0to Achieve the Goals\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Adedayo Olofinnika, Early Childhood Institute, Nigeria<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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