Seminar is organized by the Faculty of Education and Psychology in collaboration with SOSUS – Social sustainability for children and families –profiling area at the University of Jyväskylä.
The seminar is an inaugural event of the Child and Family lab, Opinkivi, University of Jyväskylä. Please note that the program is subject to minor changes and updates. Confirm the program close to the date.
Program
Chairs: Eija Sevon, Associate professor, vice-dean Faculty of Education and Psychology and Niina Rutanen, professor, Department of Education
10.15 Welcome and opening the seminar
Marja-Leena Laakso, Vice rector, University of Jyväskylä
10.30 JYU Child and Family lab - presentation and inauguration
Marleena Mustola, University Lecturer, Docent, coordinator of Child and Family lab
Anna Rönkä, Professor, PI SOSUS - Social sustainability for children and families –profiling area
11.00 Keynote: Myths and misrepresentations in child participation
Laura Lundy, Professor of Law and Honorary Professor of Children's Rights
12.00 Joint discussion
12.30 Seminar ends
Keynote speaker
Laura Lundy is a Professor of Law at University College Cork and Honorary Professor of Children's Rights at Queen’s University, Belfast. She is internationally known for developing the Lundy Model for children’s participation. She will be awarded an honorary doctorate as part of the twelfth Conferment of Degrees Ceremony at the University of Jyväskylä on 22–24 May 2026 to recognize her meritorious work on children’s rights and participation. More about Laura Lundy Honorary doctorates of the University of Jyväskylä 2026 | University of Jyväskylä
Myths and misrepresentations in child participation - Abstract of the keynote
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child affords children the right to be heard in all matters affecting them. While child and youth participation is growing in education and other contexts, there continue to be barriers to its implementation. In this seminar, Professor Laura Lundy will explore what she considers to be some of the most common embedded myths and misrepresentations related to children’s right to be heard in Article 12 of the UNCRC. This includes ’the excuses’ (when adults provide reasons for not involving children often connected to perceptions of children’s lack of capacity) and the ‘over-inflations’ (when adults overstate the nature of the obligation with potentially damaging consequences for credibility). In addressing these, she will provide examples from policy and practice that help to dispel these ongoing ‘myths’.
