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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Shifting the Field: Philanthropy’s role in strengthening child- and youth-led community rooted groups

Marcela Rueda Gomez - Elevate Children Funders Group, 01 Apr 2021

This report maps current practice in philanthropic support for child- and youth-led work at the community level and offers strategic advice to donors on how to strengthen their funding modalities to achieve greater impact.

Why having a voice is important to children who are involved in family support services

Lisa Stafford, Jo-anne Harkin, Annie Rolfe, Judith Burton, Christine Morley - Child Abuse & Neglect, 13 Mar 2021

This article presents children’s own meanings and experiences of having a voice, derived from a research collaboration between UnitingCare and Queensland University of Technology.

Children expressing their views in child protection casework: Current research and their rights going forward

Asgeir Falch‐Eriksen, Karmen Toros, Ingrid Sindi, Rafaela Lehtme - Child & Family Social Work, 23 Feb 2021

This paper examines the academic discourse in child protection research concerning how Article 12 of the CRC is implemented and how it is manifested in child protection service (CPS) casework practices.

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Children’s Participation in Decision Making From Child Welfare Workers’ Perspectives: A Systematic Review

Karmen Toros - Research on Social Work Practice, 11 Jan 2021

This article explores child welfare workers’ experiences of children’s participation in decision making in the child protection system.

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Make Our Voices Count: Children and young peoples’ responses to a global survey for the Day of General Discussion 2021 on Children’s Rights and Alternative Care - Child and Youth-Friendly Summary

Kate Butler, Ph.D, Vanessa Currie, MA, Katie Reid, MA and Laura Wright, Ph.D. - International Institute for Child Rights and Development, 2021

This child and youth friendly summary accompanies the report "Make Our Voices Count: Children and Young People's Responses to a Global Survey for the 2021 Day of General Discussion on Children's Rights and Alternative Care".

Faites en Sorte Que Notre Parole Compte: Réponses d’enfants et de jeunes à une enquête mondiale en vue de la Journée de débat général sur les droits de l’enfant et la protection de remplacement 2021 - Résumé adapté aux enfants et aux jeunes

Kate Butler, Ph.D, Vanessa Currie, MA, Katie Reid, MA and Laura Wright, Ph.D. - International Institute for Child Rights and Development, 2021

Ce résumé adapté aux enfants et aux jeunes accompagne le rapport "

Faites en Sorte Que Notre Parole Compte

Kate Butler, Ph.D, Vanessa Currie, MA, Katie Reid, MA and Laura Wright, Ph.D. - International Institute for Child Rights and Development, 2021

Réponses d’enfants et de jeunes à une enquête mondiale en vue de la Journée de débat général sur les droits de l’enfant et la protection de remplacement 2021

Hagan valer nuestras voces - Respuestas de las niñas, niños, adolescentes y jóvenes a la encuesta mundial para el Día de Debate General de 2021 sobre los derechos del niño y el cuidado alternativo - Resumen adaptado para niñas, niños, adolescentes

Kate Butler, Ph.D, Vanessa Currie, MA, Katie Reid, MA and Laura Wright, Ph.D. - International Institute for Child Rights and Development 2021, 2021

Este resumen para niños y jóvenes acompaña al informe "Hagamos que nuestras voces cuenten: las respuestas de los niños y los jóvenes a una encuesta mundial para el Día de debate general de 2021 sobre los derechos del niño y los cuidados alternativos".

Hagan Valer Nuestras Voces

Kate Butler, Ph.D, Vanessa Currie, MA, Katie Reid, MA and Laura Wright, Ph.D. - International Institute for Child Rights and Development, 2021

Respuestas de niñas, niños, adolescentes y jóvenes a una encuesta mundial para el Día de Debate General 2021 sobre los Derechos del Niño y el Cuidado Alternativo

Make Our Voices Count: Children and young peoples’ responses to a global survey for the Day of General Discussion 2021 on Children’s Rights and Alternative Care

Kate Butler, Ph.D, Vanessa Currie, MA, Katie Reid, MA and Laura Wright, Ph.D. - International Institute for Child Rights and Development , 2021

This report was commissioned by a group of civil society organizations (CSOs) in an effort to get a broad sense of what children and young people themselves think about their experiences in alternative care.