Child Participation

Children have the right to participate in matters affecting their lives and should be enabled to give their opinions, and to have those opinions taken into account. Through participation, children learn self-expression, empowerment and ultimately greater self-esteem. Children are a diverse group and therefore children of different ages, abilities, backgrounds, races, and both genders should ideally be included in a consultation process.

The views or wishes of children should never be assumed or overlooked, and such a process will ultimately help to formulate interventions which are more responsive. Whether investigating abuse, assessing a child’s needs, undertaking permanency planning, or evaluating standards of care, children’s opinions must form an integral part of the decision making process. The appointment of an independent guardian is a safeguard to ensure that the child has a voice and that his or her rights are protected.

The process of encouraging participation requires skill in communicating with children. Children should not be told what to say, intimidated, or judged. An environment of safety and respect is necessary to help the child feel comfortable to express her opinions, and therefore care should be taken regarding who else is present, the physical environment, and the way information is sought.

Children should be given a choice regarding participation, and where possible, parents and caretakers should be fully aware of the consultation process. Confidentiality of information is paramount and children should not be put in danger as a result of expressing their views. It is the responsibility of all professionals involved in the care of children to ensure that the process of participation is safe and that children will have support available where follow-up is necessary.

This section includes guidance on the process for consulting children, and example participation projects.

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Community Violence: Reactions and Actions in Dangerous Times

NCTSN, 2016

This is a community violence informational document for youth. It discusses the impact that community violence has had on the lives of young people and provides tips on how young people can look out for their safety.

TedX: Without a Seat at the Table, Youth are on the Menu

Greta Munns, 25 Nov 2015

This TedX presentation features Greta Munns, a youth empowerment advocate who was placed in foster care at age fifteen. Her “story” is what prompted her exploration of the foster care system.

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Quality of Life of Sri Lankan Children: Participatory Action Research to Address the Governance Issues of Voluntary Children’s Homes

Eshantha Ariyadasa & Janet Mcintyre - Systemic Practice and Action Research, 01 Oct 2015

This paper addresses the issue of human rights of vulnerable children in Sri Lanka in the wake of the civil war, global climatic change and economic recession.

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Interagency Study on Child-Friendly Feedback and Complaint Mechanisms within NGO programmes

Anna Wood - Educo, Plan International, Save the Children, War Child & World Vision, 02 Sep 2015

This report presents findings of a survey designed to document experience and examples of practice in setting up feedback and complaint mechanisms that are accessible to children in the programmes of five international non-governmental organisations: Educo, Plan International, Save the Children UK, War Child UK and World Vision.

Nobody is Allowed to Harm You: A Book for Children and Young People to Help Them Understand What Abuse and Neglect Means

Club for Healthy Changes, Lumos, Centre for Social Preventive Activities GRiG & Child Rights Centre, 29 Jul 2015

This book is designed to help children and young people understand what abuse and neglect are, and who to ask for help if it happens to them or to someone they know. The book is written in the Serbian context and is available in English and Serbian.

Nobody is Allowed to Harm You: A Book for Children and Young People to Help Them Understand What Abuse and Neglect Means (Serbian)

Club for Healthy Changes, Lumos, Centre for Social Preventive Activities GRiG & Child Rights Centre, 29 Jul 2015

Child-Led Evaluation of the PPA Programme in Zimbabwe

Plan International, 01 Mar 2015

In 2011 Plan International UK secured a Programme Partnership Agreement (PPA) with the Department for International Development (DFID). This strategic funding has been used to develop the Building Skills for Life Programme.

Children, Violence and Democracy

Kiaras Gharabaghi and Ben Anderson-Nathe - Child & Youth Services , 01 Feb 2015

This editorial piece from the Child & Youth Services journal makes observations about the children who live away from home and their vulnerability to violence, the shift in the use of violence as a threat to democracy to its use as a defense of democracy, and the exclusion of young people from globalization.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences and Poor Mental Health Outcomes Among Racially Diverse Foster Care Alumni: Impact of Perceived Agency Helpfulness

Antonio R. Garcia, Kirk O’Brien, Minseop Kim, Peter J. Pecora, Tracy Harachi and Eugene Aisenberg - Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23 Jan 2015

This study examines the influence of a subset of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), placement instability, and childhood disability in uniquely predicting mental health outcomes among racially diverse foster care alumni from a private foster care agency in the US.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Poor Mental Health Outcomes Among Racially Diverse Foster Care Alumni: Impact of Perceived Agency Helpfulness - Online First - Springer

Applying community-based participatory research to better understand and improve kinship care practices: insights from DRC, Nigeria and Sierra Leone

Oge Chukwudozie, Clare Feinstein, Celina Jensen, Claire O’kane, Silvia Pina, Morten Skovdal, and Rebecca Smith - Family and Community Health, 2015

This paper reflects on the experiences of Save the Children in implementing a multi-country community-based participatory research (CBPR) program to increase understanding of kinship care in DRC, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.