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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Child and Youth Participation Resource Guide

UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office , 2006

A directory of resources on child and youth participation. It provides a listing of publications, organizations and web resources from practitioners worldwide on a broad range of child participation issues and projects.

A Matter of Belonging

Christopher Bold, Mary Henderson, and Rachel Baggaley, 2006

A guide for faith-based organizations working in developing countries on issues related to orphans and vulnerable children. Contains examples of successful community-based and family support care programs throughout the world that are run by faith-based groups. Discourages the use of institutional care and orphanages.

UNHCR Guidelines on Formal Determinations of the Best Interests of the Child

UNHCR, 2006

Guidelines for when and how to make a decision regarding the best interests of the child in the case of emergencies. Includes useful information for addressing unaccompanied and separated children including, temporary and alternative care arrangements, tracing and reunification, and child participation.

The Participation of Children and Young People in Developing Social Care

Participation Practice Guide 06, Social Care Institute for Excellence, UK, 2006

A guide on the changes needed to the culture, structure, and practice of organizations in order to include children’s participation in developing social care

Provisional Protective Measures: The Principles to be Observed During the Institutionalization of a Child (3 of 3)

International Social Service and International Reference Center for the Rights of Children Deprived of their Family (ISS/IRC), 2006

A brief 2-page document that highlights the importance of child participation, post care planning, guarding against abuse, and connecting residential institutions with the surrounding community.

A Model for Community-Based Care for Children: Nkundabana

CARE , 2006

A lessons learned document reviewing impacts of a community-based care and mentoring program for child-headed households in Rwanda.

Child and Youth Participation Resource Guide

UNICEF, 2006

An extensive annotated bibliography of resources on child participation.

Protecting Children's Rights in the Collection of Health and Welfare Data

Katie Schenk, Tapfuma Murove, and Jan Williamson, 2006

Explores the ways in which data collection activities affect children’s rights and suggests methods by which rights-based principles may be used to derive appropriate safeguards to prevent unintentional harm and abuse.

Working with Children and Families, Vol. 2. Life Story Work

Louise Melville, British Council, Jordan, 2005

Practitioner guidance on communicating and recording children’s care history in order to increase their understanding of what happened to them and to help prepare children for moves

HIV/AIDS and Vulnerability, Education, and Participation

Andy West and Chen Xuemei, 2005

Outlines the changing vulnerabilities of children in modern China. Underlines the problematic definition of vulnerability in child protection programmes and advocates holistic approaches that integrate child participation in decision-making.