New Africa/ShutterstockRebuilding social cohesion and democratic trust has become a key concern in British politics, amid increasing political polarisation, misinformation and declining trust in public institutions. Schools are often seen as part of the solution, helping children learn how to participate in civic life and live alongside others.Yet children are rarely included in discussions about citizenship, political participation and rights. They are often treated as citizens in waiting, learning about “British values” – a government-defined framework taught in England’s schools that includes the rule of law, and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs, in preparation for future participation in society. At the same time, children are growing up surrounded by messages about what is right and wrong, often without the tools to question whose perspectives those messages reflect.There are plans to make citizenship education mandatory in primary schools in England for the first time, including teaching about democracy, rights, media literacy and climate change. However, there is a risk that citizenship becomes primarily about teaching approved knowledge. For example, this could be learning about and showing respect for public institutions and services, rather than creating opportunities for discussion, participation and critical reflection. My research suggests that young children are ready to think seriously about politics, democracy and fairness. Over the past decade, I have explored how picturebooks and dialogue can support children’s engagement with ideas about rights, justice and global citizenship. I carried out my PhD research with children aged five to nine, using the picturebook Dreams of Freedom, published by Amnesty International in 2015, to explore how they understand concepts such as equality, participation and justice. Dreams of Freedom is a picturebook anthology rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, featuring quotations about freedom alongside illustrations by artists from around the world.The children were interpreting, debating and connecting these rights to their own lives. They spoke about equality in strikingly direct ways. One child explained, “It’s really good to be different. It would be very boring if we were all the same.” Another described equality by saying: “If I ripped two people’s skin off, we’re made of the same flesh and blood.” They also linked freedom with responsibility. As one five year old put it: “Freedom to do anything that you like, just make sure it doesn’t hurt anybody.”Children were not only engaging with ideas of citizenship in the abstract. Many were also aware that their voices are often dismissed. Across the study, children spoke about adults assuming they were too young to contribute or did not really understand what they thought.Some also recognised how authority works. One child suggested that adults believe they know best because they run the country. Another put it more simply: “They’re not us. They don’t know how we feel.” These comments show that children are already thinking about power and whose voices get heard.From empathy to actionWhen discussing homelessness, one child suggested using empty houses to support people living on the streets, noting that many homes are not being used and could be made available.This kind of thinking is recognisably political. It connects fairness with resource distribution and responsibility, which are central questions in public policy.The children also demonstrated a strong sense of agency, arguing for them to have greater involvement in decision making and suggesting ways to address social and environmental issues. Children can discuss concepts of rights and fairness. Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock If democratic trust and social cohesion are the goal, these findings matter. Democracy is not something people suddenly learn as adults. It develops through everyday experiences of being listened to, negotiating difference and feeling that your voice matters.If citizenship education is to strengthen democratic trust, it should build on children’s existing capacity to question, debate and engage with issues that matter to them.Picturebooks can create powerful spaces for this kind of learning. In my research, discussions quickly became conversations about inequality, care, belonging and justice. When children were invited to create their own pages on people’s rights, many proposed new rights such as “to be kind”, framing kindness as something everyone should be entitled to experience. Another argued that each person should have the chance to live a good life. These are early experiences of democratic participation.Listening as a foundation for cohesionAt a time when policymakers are searching for ways to strengthen social unity, young children are largely absent from the conversation. Yet schools cannot build democratic cohesion by relying solely on behaviour systems that prioritise obedience and uniformity, or on prescribed lists of national values. It is built through relationships, dialogue and participation.When citizenship education is expanded in primary schools, it should create space for discussion, disagreement and shared decision making. This does not necessarily require more content, but a shift in how classrooms work, treating children as contributors, not just learners.Young children are not politically empty. They are already making sense of fairness, power and belonging in thoughtful and sometimes unexpected ways.If we want a more cohesive society, we need to take children’s thinking seriously. Listening to their experiences is central to citizenship education, and children’s books offer a powerful way to be heard.Dr Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves is affiliated with the United Kingdom Literacy Association.