ABSTRACT

This chapter advances an alternative position that focuses on the notion of 'ecological wellbeing' in an attempt to recognise the interconnectedness of social, political, economic and environmental factors on the wellbeing of children and, in turn, their role in shaping and responding to such factors. It begins with an examination of literature interrogating issues of environmental change and how this affects children's wellbeing. The chapter examines how ecological metaphors have been employed in various childhood studies, which highlight the import of the socially and politically embedded nature of children's interactions, experiences and responses to their environments. Within minority world urban environments, children frequently experience environmental change as a result of changing patterns in the built environment. The research cited earlier highlights the need to adopt a more holistic framework of 'wellbeing' to include consideration of how personal and structural dimensions impact everyday matters of wellbeing and attention to children's agency in negotiating environmental change on a daily basis.