Children as Partners for Health A Critical Review of the Child-to-Child Approach

The Child-to-Child health education approach, now in use in more than 80 countries, views children as active promoters and not just receivers of health. This is an exploration of how far such child-centred philosophies can work in cultures where people do not necessarily share Western assumptions about the role of the child in society. They analyze the theories and concepts underlying Child-to-Child and the reasons for its rapid spread. Theory is then compared with practice, drawing on case studies from both industrialised and Third World countries. Lessons are drawn from its successes and failures; implications made clear for policy makers, planners, implementers and evaluators; and recommendations made for future action and research.