Children's right to participate
Discover why it is important that children and young people have a say and be heard when it comes to issues that impact their lives.
Summary
All children have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. This right is one of the main guiding principles in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Children’s right to be heard and taken seriously is important because:
- children's views help adults make better decisions on their behalf
- children develop self-confidence and learn how to stand up for their own rights.
What is participation?
Participation is not just about asking a child what they think. It is about adults genuinely listening and taking those views into account when making decisions.
Participation must be active, free, and meaningful.
This means that children should:
- have choice about how they participate and should feel safe to express themselves freely
- be able to access information in a form and a language they understand to help them have their say
- be helped to understand who is listening and taking their views into account
- be heard by the people who are making decisions, including in policy and programs
- be told how adults have taken their views into account.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Article 12 - States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
Can children participate in Australia?
In Australia, children have some opportunities to have their views heard. For example:
- in schools
- youth advisory committees
- youth parliaments and forums
- government or children's rights initiatives.
Some laws support children's involvement in decisions that affect them, such as child protection laws.
However, children's participation is not protected under one national law and is not routine in the development of laws or policies.
How the Commission helps children participate
We believe in children's right to participate because genuinely listening to children and taking their views into account leads to better public policy that supports children's rights and wellbeing.
The National Children's Commissioner consults widely with children, especially those most in need of human rights protection.
Our Supporting Quality Engagement national consultation project aims to help children realise the right to participate by seeking their views about policies and services that affect them.
Resources
'A ground to grow from'
Year 2 Supporting Quality Engagement with Children Report
'Do things with the information we tell you'
Year 1 Supporting Quality Engagement with Children Report
Keeping kids safe and well - your voices (2021)
Recommendations to inform the government’s national child protection framework.
You might also like:
- Explore our work on Supporting Quality Engagement with Children.
- Human rights information for children and young people.
- 'Help way earlier!' transforming child justice for safety and wellbeing.
- Discover the latest news on children's rights.
- How to engage children and young people in your organisation from the NSW Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People.
- A guide on empowerment and participation from the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian.
