Children aren’t the future- they’re people of today.
In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward sits down with Marta Skrzypczak, educator and children’s rights advocate, to explore why children’s participation is a fundamental right, not a privilege.

We cover:
- What Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child means for educators
- The difference between autonomy and agency—and how to respect both
- Practical ways to include children in daily decision-making (from food to classroom routines)
- How participation builds resilience, confidence, and lifelong skills
- Why respecting participation rights reduces educator stress and strengthens classroom communities
If you’ve ever wondered how to balance guidance with giving children a voice, this episode will give you clarity and inspiration.

MARTA SKRZYPCZAK

Marta is an early childhood educator and a children's rights expert. Her mission is to support adults in creating possibilities for children to participate in decisions that concerns them and directly providing possibilities to exercise their agency. She has written scientific papers and has been a guest on some other podcasts. She is a digital creator and participation coach. She also supports participation structures in one of Berlin's districts.

Website: www.participation-coach.com

Instagram: @participation_coach

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