Children in Europe is put together by representatives of magazines for childhood educators from seven different European countries. The UK partner is the charity Children in Scotland, which publishes its own monthly magazine about issues affecting children, young people and families in Scotland.
Kenneth Munro, the convenor of Children in Scotland, said, 'We are delighted that Scotland has been chosen as the venue for the launch of this new magazine. It is being published simultaneously in seven languages and is fully independent of the European Commission and national governments. It will offer not only a valuable forum for the exchange of information, ideas and practice across the European Union, but an independent perspective on policies and developments relating to children and young people.'
The first issue focuses on listening to children and includes an article from Carlina Rinaldi, the recently retired pedagogical director of early childhood centres in Reggio Emilia, Italy. She says practitioners there view children as 'active, competent and strong, exploring and finding meaning - not as pre-determined, fragile, needy and incapable'.
Another contribution is from Alison Clark, a researcher at the Thomas Coram Research Unit at the University of London's Institute of Education. She explains the 'mosaic approach', a framework for listening to children that aims to build up a picture of everyday life at an early childhood centre from their perspective. It includes children taking photographs of things that are important to them, and taking adults on tours of the setting.
Children in Europe will be published twice a year. It costs 7 for a year's subscription from Children in Scotland on 0131 222 2411 and Children in Wales on 0292 034 2434.
