ABSTRACT
Child’s voice is a key element of the democracy and individual liberty aspects of British values. The common inspection framework has responded to the voice of the child by ensuring that the child’s voice reflects the ethos of the setting. Listening to the voice of the child from an early age enables the child to grow up feeling part of a community and part of a democracy. It promotes their self-esteem and self-awareness, so that they are free to make choices, but have a deeper understanding that with choices comes responsibility. Investing in time to enable children to find their voice and know how to express their voice in a meaningful, responsible way is paramount to a successful generation that knows how to listen, how to negotiate and how to resolve disagreements. Children must have a sense of belonging in the wider world and a knowledge of how the world works.
