From Silence to Solidarity: Locating the Absent ‘Child Voice’ in the Struggle Against Benefit Sanctions

Abstract

This article interrogates childhood politics through a case study of voluntary sector responses to benefit sanctions in the UK. This article explores the absent ‘voices’ of children in this resistance and considers, in contrast, the possibilities of engaging with children's perspectives in political endeavours. We argue for the importance of moving away from both simple platitudes about listening to ‘the voice of the child’ and the political retreatism that results from a sole focus on the impossibilities of representation. Whilst aware of inevitable power relations between children and adults, we suggest ‘solidarity’ as an animating concept, emphasising attention to the processes whereby people are differently impoverished.

How do children and their families experience food poverty according to UK newspaper media 2006–15?

“…In regard to the absence of children's voices and experiences more specifically, our findings echo Alderson's notion that children are 'missing' from mainstream debate (2013; 2016). Furthermore, Benson and Rosen (2017) suggest in their analysis of reports about benefit sanctions that children's experiences are generally ignored and 'everyday experiences are coloured by the consequences of political decisions considered too adult for their reckoning.' (Benson and Rosen, 2017: 308).…”

Child as Method as an Intersectional Frame for Conceptualising the Geopolitics of Child Rights

“…Literature is now emerging that applies solidarity to children and childhoods. In a discussion of children's experiences of benefit sanctions, Benson and Rosen (2017) propose four key points for the elaboration of (what they call) intergenerational solidarity. First, is the recognition of children's political subjectivity and (potential if not actual) participation in political struggle; second, (drawing on Alcoff, 2009), they emphasise the importance of dialogic engagement to solidarity; that is, the 'effort of speaking with rather than for others' (310, emphasis original).…”

A systematic review of children’s participation in child protection decision‐making: Tokenistic presence or not?

“…As indicated in the first question, children are not always considered competent or capable of understanding/discussing their well-being, especially in the case of younger children. This might be related to the protectionist approach-protecting children from further harm-as Benson and Rosen (2017) argue, and one possible explanation for the absence of children's voices in child protection practice. Several authors referred to the discourse of 'protectionism'-putting emphasis on protecting rather than empowering children, with the intent to protect them from instability and possible disturbing or upsetting experiences (Cheney, 2011;Heimer et al, 2018;Vis et al, 2012).…”