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One of the under-represented groups in participatory urban research is very young children (0–3 years old). Very young children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods, particularly in global cities, such as Istanbul, often have to negotiate unfriendly urban spaces in their daily routines. These routines consist of intertwined events of caregivers and children, as care duties of caregivers frame their joint daily lives. Based on questionnaires and participatory mapping with full-time mothers from Istanbul, we argue that a compact design of neighbourhoods, which merges public spaces relevant to families with young children in combined destinations, is critical towards creating inclusive urban environments.

The findings of this Ph.D. research contribute to understanding children’s unique capabilities, the equalizing role of policies in enabling children’s participation, and the informative role of caregivers in the representation of very young children in participatory urban planning processes, and also enhance methodologies in urban planning research with children. Supporting children and caregivers in creating child-focused urban environments in Istanbul through participatory planning first and foremost requires legislative change that liberates children from preconditions towards their citizenship. Also, a specialized child-centered approach that supports inclusivity, encouraging caregivers’ participation when needed for the representation of all children, and equity between all stakeholders by supporting children’s capabilities with methods relevant to children and approaches leading to shared leadership are critical. Research on children’s participation in urban planning in Turkey has yet to reach sufficient knowledge creation to inform urban planning approach and practice. More research with different age groups and caregiver profiles is needed first to introduce participation as a right and pave the way towards creating cities for children through enhancing the participatory urban planning approach and practice.

Urban planning and design play a central role in determining the quality of the built environment and the ways families with children can access and use public space. However, there remains an ongoing need to clarify children’s involvement in planning. This paper carries out a systematic literature review of 30 studies published between 1990-2017 in order to address and review the current state of the art of participatory approaches in urban planning to create child-focused urban environments. This systematic review resulted in (1) a comprehensive, quantitative picture of the current studies focusing on the participation of children; (2) an effective way to conceptualize children in planning; (3) a list of requirements for the successful practice of planning with children and its relation to sustainable communities; (4) discussion of the link between urban planning, methods, approaches, and outcomes for child-focused urban environments; (5) identification of existing gaps in the literature; and (6) examination of the role of policies and the link between policies, urban planning, methods, and approaches for further research.

This report examines how caregivers meet the socio-spatial needs of their young children within their neighbourhood. Three daily living domains – public space, mobility in and around the neighbourhood, and quality of the built environment are examined. Empirical findings from selected disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Pune (India) and Istanbul (Turkey) highlight everyday spatial needs of caregivers and young children. By developing comparative work, the report points towards the affordances that space (particularly communal spaces) offers caregivers, and the need to better understand contextual and diverse spatial requirements. Within the two different geographies, we see the multifaceted nature and use of public spaces, issues concerning safety, use of spaces in front of the home, on the one hand, and on the other, we also see the marginalized position of caregivers and children in high-density urban areas. Though in both the locations, various activities/ initiatives are taking place to shed light on the needs of young children, the support for early urban childhoods through planning and design is far from optimal.

Children's participation in the decision-making and design of urban public spaces is crucial for achieving inclusive cities. International covenants have recognized the importance of participation as a right. Having adhered to these agreements, Turkey is obliged to enable children's participation in all public matters that concern them, including shaping urban spaces. This paper analyses national and local legislation in Turkey and Istanbul to distil how children's right to participate is legislated and institutionalised. It shows that lack of integrated child-responsive legislation, accounting for children's individuality, and lack of collaboration between national and local governments are the root of the problem.