ABSTRACT
This chapter proposes a critical pedagogy for practice that supports children, young people and families (CYPF) wellbeing and social justice. Critical pedagogy has a long history and wide range of contributing theories and theorists. These have defined the focus, content and style of the approach. They have also illuminated critical factors and conditions for particular consideration, most notably power. The chapter considers six of the key theorists (Paulo Freire, Henry Giroux, Michel Foucault, Antonio Gramsci, Saul Alinsky, and Maxine Greene) and concepts (oppression, power, critical consciousness and problematisation) that contribute to the central thesis of critical pedagogy. Whilst key theorists lived from 1920 to the current day in diverse situations, there are common threads throughout their ideas. They are all committed to democracy and social justice, and all believe that this can be achieved by increasing the awareness of all people of the use of power around them.
