Rapid Research Review into Civic Socialisation Amongst Pre-Secondary School Age Children

This rapid research review offers oversight of key evidence-based literature exploring civic socialisation amongst pre-secondary school aged children. The dominant themes within this literature suggest that whilst the periods of early and middle childhood are fundamentally important to the civic socialisation of individuals, they are largely overlooked by research, policy and practice, creating a significant gap in our understanding about individuals’ civic journey throughout the life-course.

Drawing on some of the emerging research within the UK and beyond we can begin to consider the opportunities and barriers to civic socialisation for pre-secondary aged children. The existing evidence base tells us the civic socialisation of infant and primary school aged children is key both as citizens of today and as future adult citizens. We know increased pro-active civic engagement at a young age leads to propensity to engage in pro-civic behaviours when older, for example social action, volunteering, charitable giving, philanthropy, and democratic participation. However, the research also points to different approaches having greater impact at different stages. For example, storytelling, role-playing and practicing ‘civic-ness’ in everyday life (such as shared decision-making, critical questioning and thinking, sharing of resources, etc.) within the early and infant years help younger children develop vital political and civil literacies. Whereas experiential, participative, child-led, action-based learning, underpinned by critical thinking and discussions within middle childhood is shown to help children develop as social and political actors within a real-world context.

Although there is some evidence to suggest individual experiential, child-led structured programmes in social action and civic learning are impactful, there is a lack of broader qualitative, quantitative and longitudinal data to draw more conclusive assessment at this point, especially within a UK context. Nonetheless, emerging data suggests, that unlike adolescents who have had wider scale programmes such as the #iwill campaign and National Citizens Service, opportunities for children’s engagement in civic learning are uncoordinated, unequal and commonly not rooted in evidence-based practice, with children from lower socio-economic areas experiencing fewer opportunities for civic engagement. There is also a significant gap in knowledge concerning programmes and initiatives which connect and cohere as children pass through infant and primary school into secondary education, alongside a lack of understanding about the impact of digital technologies on civic engagement.

In conclusion, this review suggest that young children’s civic socialisation should become a research,policy and practice priority.