Children’s Week 2026: Language as a Right

This year’s Children’s Week theme, “Children have the right to use their own language, celebrate their culture and practise their religion,” is drawn from Article 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which recognises every child’s right to maintain and express their language, culture and beliefs.

For early childhood educators, this theme offers an opportunity to reflect on an important question: What does it look like when we see children’s languages, cultures and identities not simply as aspects of diversity, but as rights that deserve protection and support?

Language is often understood as a tool for communication. Yet for children, language is much more than words. It is how they connect to family, community, culture and history. Through language, children learn who they are, where they belong and how they make sense of the world around them.

When a child’s home language is heard, valued and nurtured, we are doing more than supporting multilingualism. We are affirming a child’s identity and helping them maintain meaningful connections to the people and communities that matter most. When languages are unintentionally overlooked, children can receive subtle messages about what is valued and what is not.

This is why the Children’s Week theme is so significant. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child reminds us that language, culture and religion are not optional extras. They are fundamental rights that contribute to children’s wellbeing, participation, identity and sense of belonging.

Across Victoria, educators have long recognised the richness that multilingualism brings to early childhood settings. Every home language carries unique ways of knowing, being and belonging. Every language spoken by a child represents a connection to family knowledge, traditions and community life. Supporting children to maintain these connections strengthens confidence, wellbeing and positive learning outcomes.

Importantly, children’s rights are realised not only through policies and frameworks, but through everyday practice. They are reflected in the books children see on shelves, the languages displayed throughout the environment, the stories that are shared, and the relationships educators build with families.

So what might this look like in practice?

It may be learning and regularly using greetings in the languages spoken by children attending your service. It could involve creating book displays that include multilingual texts, inviting families to record stories or songs in their home language, or ensuring signage reflects the linguistic diversity of the community. Educators might encourage children to teach their peers words from their home language, explore how different cultures celebrate significant events, or intentionally select resources that authentically represent the children and families in their setting.

These actions may seem small, but they send a powerful message: your language, your culture and your identity belong here.

At fka Children’s Services, Children’s Week provides an opportunity to continue this important conversation and support educators with practical resources that can be used throughout the year. During Children’s Week, we will be sharing a free resource each day across our social media channels, offering ideas, tools and inspiration to help bring the theme to life in early childhood settings.

These daily resources provide just a glimpse into the extensive collection available through the Multicultural Resource Centre and online. From multilingual books and cultural resources to family engagement tools, professional reading and practical teaching materials, the collection has been carefully curated to support culturally and linguistically inclusive practice.

As we celebrate Children’s Week, we invite educators to consider how children’s rights are experienced in everyday moments. How do children see their language reflected in the learning environment? How are families invited to share their knowledge and experiences? What opportunities do children have to express all aspects of their identity?

The answers to these questions help shape learning environments where every child feels seen, respected and empowered to belong.

This Children’s Week, we invite you to explore the Multicultural Resource Centre and discover resources that can help bring this important theme to life, not only for one week, but throughout the year. By recognising language, culture and identity as rights, we can create early childhood settings where every child is supported to connect and proudly be themselves.

Looking for ways to celebrate Children’s Week in your service or community? The Victorian Government has compiled a calendar of Children’s Week events taking place across Victoria, along with a range of resources and promotional materials that organisations can use on social media. These resources can help you engage families and promote children’s rights throughout the week. Visit the Children’s Week events page and the Celebrate with your community this Children’s Week resource page to learn more.