Att sätta barn på kartan: barnkartor i GIS – för information om barns utemiljö

The outdoor environment plays an important role in many children’s lives, at the same time the UN Convention of the Right of the Child, gives children the right to be heard in matters that concern them. However, numerous studies illuminate the difficulty in getting issues related to children’s outdoor environment accepted in municipal spatial planning despite pronounced interest among both politicians and planners. This thesis examines the constraints and opportunities for utilising information on children´s outdoor environment in municipal spatial planning. Geographic information systems (GIS) and maps play an important role in spatial planning; this has acted as a point of departure for designing a method that will be beneficial to spatial planning providing relevant information on children’s outdoor environment in a way that respects the competences and civil rights of children. This thesis is an example of design as a research strategy. Research through design means, in this case, an iterative, reflective process which develops both the method and the guiding principles on which the research is built. The method Children’s Maps in GIS is one outcome of the research. It consists of a digital map questionnaire for children from the 10 years of age on how they use, experience, and would like to improve the outdoor environment. Additionally teachers are asked about the outdoor environment in relation to teaching. The questionnaire is answered on at school with a supervisor present. The method also consists of a special designed GIS-application and a procedure for an ethical and safe information process. In this thesis, experiences from planning projects in five municipalities that have used Children’s Maps in GIS are discussed. The information produced is frequently sought by planner with differing perspectives on children’s outdoor environment, planning and maps. There are also great variations relating to access to GIS or knowledge in geographic analysis. In order to make the responses on the questionnaire accessible for all interested, a model for processing and visualizing the responses is suggested. The studies also imply that the engagement of the users of the method may be a strategic asset for the development of a child's perspective in spatial planning.