What is child participation? And why is it important to start as early as possible? 

Understanding a rights-based, relationship-based approach to listening to young children.

Even if you have never heard of children's participation expression, you have probably already done so. When we as parents give our children a choice about what to eat, as teachers ask children to share classroom routines, or as community workers consult young people about local community spaces, we are already promoting participation. The key is to recognise this - and learn how to do it more consciously, inclusively and effectively. 

Participation of children children's right to be listened to by adults and to be involved in decisions that affect their lives. Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises that children are active and capable social agents¹ from the moment they are born. 

It is not just about asking children for their views. We need to create spaces where children can express themselves in a way that is appropriate to their age and abilities; we need to ensure that their voices are genuinely heard and show them how their contributions shape the world around them². Models such as Hart's ladder of participation and Lundy's framework help to distinguish between token gestures and truly meaningful involvement³. 

In early childhood, participation can take the form, for example, of young children choosing storybooks or preschoolers working together to create classroom rules through drawings or photographs⁴. Children express themselves through play, movement, art and non-verbal cues - and when we learn to interpret these cues, we build trust, a sense of belonging and initiative and empowerment from the ground up⁵. 

Research shows that when children are involved in decisions, it enhances their cognitive development, emotional well-being and social skills. They become more confident, resilient and learn to think critically⁶. Participation also protects children by making them more likely to voice their concerns and prepares them for active citizenship by teaching them respect, cooperation and shared responsibility⁷. 

Inclusion and fairness are key 

Although participation is a right for all children, not all children have equal opportunities to participate. Children with disabilities, from low-income families, from minority or migrant backgrounds and very young children often face systemic barriers that prevent them from being heard. Traditional methods of inclusion may inadvertently exclude those who do not use verbal language, who live in unstable or resource-poor environments⁸. 

Good intentions alone are not enough for inclusion. It requires the use of communication tools such as visual aids, sign language and play-based methods. It requires the creation of safe spaces where children feel respected and where their cultural and individual identities are recognised. Participation should be adapted to the child's developmental level, abilities and lived experiences⁹. 

Research shows that play, storytelling and creative expression are effective tools to support real participation of children who are non-speaking or very young¹⁰. Similarly, projects involving children from refugee backgrounds or underrepresented communities are most effective when they use trauma-informed, culturally relevant and multilingual approaches¹¹. 

Real participation means creating an environment where all children - not just the most talkative or confident - can share their views and shape their world. This is where equity meets practice. 

Shared responsibility 

The role of adults is key in all this. Participation does not mean leaving all the decisions to children. It means carefully guiding them while giving them room to develop. Many adults already do this instinctively. But if we take a conscious and structured approach to children's participation, we will achieve better results - not just for children, but for society as a whole¹². 

Whether we are working in education, health, the social sector or politics, recognising and embedding children's participation helps to create a fairer, more inclusive environment. Participation is not something extra - it is a way of working that respects children's rights and enriches everyone's experience. 

Want more information? Start here: 

• Listening to young children: the Mosaic Approach – Listening to Young Children: The Mosaic Approach, Clark & Moss (2011) 

• Pathways to Participation, Shier (2001) 

• Children's participation in early childhood education – Children's Participation in Early Childhood Education, Correia et al. (2021) 

• Handbook of Children and Young People's Participation, Percy-Smith & Thomas (2010) 

• Toolkit and tips for involving children from birth to 5 years in decision-making - Toolkit and Tip Sheet for including children from birth to 5 years in participation in decision-making, Hub na nÓg and DCEDIY (2024) 

Footnotes 

1. United Nations. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 12. 

1. Shier, H. (2001). Pathways to participation: openings, opportunities and obligations. Children & Society, 15(2), 107-117. 

1. Hart, R. (1992). Children's participation: from tokenism to citizenship. UNICEF; Lundy, L. (2007). British Educational Research Journal, 33(6), 927-942. 

1. Clark, A., & Moss, P. (2011). Listening to young children: the Mosaic approach. National Children's Bureau. 

1. Horgan, D. (2024). A Literature Review on Methodologies for Consulting with Children Aged Birth to 5 Years. 

1. Brooker, L. (2017). Learning to play, or playing to learn? Routledge. 

1. Lansdown, G. (2010). The realisation of children's rights: participation and protection. UNICEF Innocenti. 

1. Theobald, M., Danby, S., & Ailwood, J. (2011). Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36(3), 19-26. 

1. Clark, A., & Moss, P. (2011); Clark, A. (2017). Space, place and children's participation. Routledge. 

1. Clark, A. (2017); Brooker, L. (2017). 

1. Percy-Smith, B., & Thomas, N. (2010). Handbook of Children and Young People's Participation. Routledge. 

1. Pascal, C., & Bertram, T. (2012). EECERJ, 20(4), 477-492. 

What is Playing for Participation? What is TOY for Participation? 

TOY for Participation is a European initiative co-funded by the European Commission and led by ICDI, which works with partners in 8 countries to promote young children's right to participation. Together, we have reached over 40,000 children and families through more than 40 play centres and the number is growing. Find out more about the project and the partners!