CIESPI/PUC-Rio is proud to announce a new four-year project on how to improve the education and condition of young children living in contexts of vulnerability. The project titled Safe, Inclusive Participative Pedagogy: Improving Early Childhood Education in Fragile Contexts is a collaboration with the lead organization, the Department of Education at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and research centers in three other countries, Eswatini, South Africa and Palestine. The project is funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council.
CIESPI has been carrying out research and policy initiatives focusing on early childhood for several years. It has also been actively engaged with over 240 organizations in Brazil though the National Network on Early Childhood (RNPI).
The project recognizes the critical importance of the early years of life in a child’s development. It seeks to explore the critical concepts of inclusive education meaning the inclusion of all children in key areas of educational and social life and participatory education that recognizes children’s, parents’ and the community role in education. Participating countries are committed to deeply engaging community and other stakeholders in the project to promote change that will improve the conditions of vulnerable young children.
Each program country has selected a particular community to conduct collaborative research and priority setting. CIESPI will work with long-time colleagues in the Rio de Janeiro community of Rocinha as well as Sao Goncalo in Niteroi. For CIESPI the project builds on a number of years of working on early childhood issues, reports of which can be found on the CIESPI website.
This research project aims to identify and develop safe, inclusive participative pedagogy that is implementable in fragile contexts and sustainable for governments, communities and families.
It has four research questions:
 In what ways and how do current policies, systems and organisations support inclusive participative pedagogy in these contexts? What are the tensions and how can they be resolved?
 What information, knowledge, support, partnerships and expertise can be mobilised to understand these contexts and the threats, assets and opportunities for early childhood learning, young children and their families? What are the findings from such mobilisation and their implications for developing and supporting inclusive participative pedagogy?
 How can inclusive participative pedagogy become imbedded and sustainable in communities, their formal and informal contexts, so as to support children’s early learning?
 Is there an economic case for inclusive pedagogy? If so, what are the relevant components and what are the short- and long-term costs and benefits?
The project uses a mixed-method approach. This includes: qualitative community case studies in each country; policy and systems analysis at country and community levels; and developing the economic case for safe inclusive pedagogy. Community engagement and participation underpin the project and there is a strong focus on knowledge exchange and collaborative learning.
Academic partners:
• The Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town
• The International Center for Research and Policy on Childhood (CIESPI/PUC-Rio), Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
• Faculty of Education, University of Bethlehem
• University of Swaziland
• Childhood & Youth Studies Research Group, MHSES University of Edinburgh (Grant Holder)

The support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is gratefully acknowledged.

Partners