Promoting the rights of infants in care: Advocating advocacy

Abstract

Child rights belong to all children under the age of 18. However, the recognition of infants as rights holders still challenges many practices in child welfare. This article focuses on infants’ rights in alternative care and explores them through the views of the practitioners who are involved in developing – and advocating – rights-based alternative care in Finland. Based on 15 interviews with foster carers, social workers and other practitioners, the study analyses motivation, advocacy practices and the present state of infants’ rights in care. The findings demonstrate that motivations for advocating for infants’ rights in care are driven by the recognition of shortcomings in practice related to the standardisation of legal norms and othering infants in care regarding their needs for development, theoretical and legal learning as well as personal history. Advocacy is embodied, institutional and structural and mainly takes place through role-modelling. The study suggests age-aware expertise and related organisational arrangements to acknowledge infants as rights-holders in mainstream practice.