Supporting vulnerable childhoods through social design

The early years in a person’s life are arguably most important for improving personal well-being later in life, by offering them desirable conditions in the early stages (Holte et al., 2014). However, not all children grow up with those desirable conditions. Like children with developmental vulnerabilities, whose development is affected by marginalized situations, like poverty, or by their psychological condition, like autism. It is these children who need extra care to provide them with the same chances for a happy life as others.

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However, improving the well-being of children with developmental vulnerabilities can be challenging, and health care often faces issues of stigmatization, leading to negative stereotypes, devaluation, and discrimination from the children themselves, their families, or the public (Ferrie et al., 2020). This is why a positive (mental) health perspective is necessary for addressing challenges faced by children with developmental vulnerabilities. A positive (mental) health perspective draws on the core principles of positive psychology. Here, psychology does not only lie in repairing the worst things in life, but also builds on the best qualities of life (Holte et al., 2014). For children with developmental vulnerabilities, this means that we should not only focus on their difficulties but also on building on their strengths to improve their subjective well-being ultimately.

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In terms of design, a shift is needed towards vulnerable groups. Much design focuses on the comfortable middle class, while not everyone experiences a happy, healthy, or economically rich life (Medeiros, n.d.). A world designed for the average often requires many adaptations for individuals with special needs, or may result in exclusion. Designing for vulnerable groups not only contributes to their lives but also fosters inclusion, as such design can ultimately benefit a broader user group (Medeiros, n.d.).

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Here, playful designs can be promising for improving well-being among children with developmental vulnerabilities. Play is the most evident area where positive psychology is present and can therefore serve as a method for pursuing positive subjective well-being among children (Holte et al., 2014). Through playful design, I build on the children's strengths in a way that both fosters joy and empowers them to address their challenges.

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Combining a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a master’s in industrial design has inspired me to apply my knowledge in mental health to the practice of design. Leading to a vision to enhance the subjective well-being of children with developmental vulnerabilities through playful design, focusing on both their challenges and the qualities that make their lives worthwhile. I believe that this is achievable by empathizing with the user and deepening understanding of their context, challenges, and qualities. To achieve this, I use design approaches tailored to the context, including design thinking, ethnographic design, and empathic design, as in my final master's project, where I employed ethnographic design to create a collaborative game for children with Autism and severe learning difficulties.

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Although my experience has focused on children growing up in poverty and children with autism, my vision for designing for children with developmental vulnerability is not limited to one specific target group. The understanding that developmental vulnerability stems from various causes, including socioeconomic status and autism, encourages me to focus on different groups. Through this, I ultimately envision developing designs that contribute to a world where all children can develop themselves happily through play.