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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Youth participation in foster youth advisory boards: Perspectives of facilitators

Judy Havlicek, Ashley Curry, Fabiola Villalpando - Children and Youth Services Review, 14 Dec 2017

This qualitative study explored youth participation from the perspectives of 42 primary foster youth advisory boards facilitators in 34 states in the USA.

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Young adults’ perspectives on their experiences of different types of placement in Romania

Mariela Neagu - Thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at the University of Oxford, 01 Dec 2017

This study explores the childhood experiences and transitions to adulthood of 39 Romanian care leavers and adoptees, born around 1989 - 1990.

Family Group Decision-Making: Implementing the Family Group Conference

Julie Treinen & Michele Schmidt - Children's Bureau, 13 Oct 2017

This podcast gives listeners an overview of how Arizona Kinship Support Services implements the Family Group Conference (FGC) model.

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Care leavers’ views on their transition to adulthood: A rapid review of the evidence

Dr Claire Baker - Coram Voice, 01 Oct 2017

This rapid review from Coram Voice contributes to the understanding of care leavers’ experiences and is also the first stage in a project to develop a survey of care leavers’ subjective well-being, according to young people’s own evaluations of how they feel about their lives.

Contextualizing Voice in Refugee Youth Research

Lisa Trujillo - Medien Impulse, 20 Sep 2017

Increased attention on the situations of unaccompanied refugee minors living in Europe has recently begun to include their voices and perspectives. This article focuses on the micro to macro contexts which give rise to their voices and explores the multiple features of voice.

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Youth Initiated Mentors: Do They Offer an Alternative for Out-of-Home Placement in Youth Care?

Levi van Dam et al. - British Journal of Social Work , 12 Sep 2017

This study evaluates the Youth Initiated Mentoring (YIM) program, which allows youth with complex needs to nominate a mentor from their own social network to collaborate with care professionals and their families as an alternative to out-of-home placement.

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Structural Challenges of Holiday Placement Programmes for Children in SOS'S Children Village, Zimbabwe

Taruvinga Muzingili & Patience Gunha - African Journal of Social Work, 11 Sep 2017

This study observed the challenges experienced by children living in SOS Children's Village Bindura, Zimbabwe during a Community Holiday Visit Programme.

Draft National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres

Health Information and Standards Directorate , 01 Sep 2017

Ireland's Health Information and Standards Directorate has launched a public consultation on the Draft National Standards on Children's Residential Care. Once finalized, the Standards will provide a framework for the ongoing development of child-centred and effective services for children living in residential care centres. This document contains the preceding Draft Standards, eligible for feedback through 02 November 2017.

Young People’s Voice: The First Visiting Advocacy Project in Italian Residential Care for Children

Valentina Calcaterra & Maria Luisa Raineri - Department of Sociology, Catholic University of Milan, 01 Aug 2017

This article presents the research of the project "Giving Young People a Voice: Advocacy in Children’s Homes," which evaluated the implementation of a visiting advocacy project and services provided by an independent advocate working in children's homes in Italy.

The Way Forward to Strengthened Policies and Practices for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Europe

International Rescue Committee, UNHCR, UNICEF, 10 Jul 2017

This paper, based on findings from a consultative process with a variety of actors, captures a multitude of concrete recommendations for more efficient and harmonized policies and practices, taking into account the best interests of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in Europe.