Children's Participation Case Study

QUESTION 2

Participation refers to the process during which individuals, groups and organizations are consulted or become actively involved in an activity.

According to Article 12 of CRC gives children the right of participation in matters affecting them. Child perspective and children’s participation leads to mobilization towards giving children equal standing in both the cultural hierarchy and economic (Kymlicka 2002). In this regard, we must work always with children as partners in finding lasting solution not as experts.

Child Rights perspective, this means a child friendly perspective that is informed by approaches to the study and analysis of childhood and children (James and Prout 1990). Children must in all circumstances be seen as

The arguments for this are both ethical respecting children’s and family’s right to participate in matters and decisions which affect them and their co-operation increases the chance of plans being successfully implemented. Working in partnership with the family and children in this case would consider this a good practice. However the consequence of this is that agreement can be hard to reach. The social worker may be forced to accept what, to him/her, is a sub-optimal choice because it can be assented to by all parties in the case. Children’s participation can create particularly acute problems for Social workers, who may be not sure about how mature and competent they are to make a decision. ‘‘Power is not a possession but rather it is exercised through discourses and practices which are specific to particular institutional contexts. This means that power relations are rarely singular or unilateral, although individuals may experience different relations to power’’ (Foucault,

‘‘Practitioners need to be dispossessed of some of their power in order that users may be ‘empowered’’ (Jerry Tew, 2006). I would ensure that they are empowered, asked about their opinions and also ask them how their views should be presented in the ongoing discussions and choose whether to speak for themselves or have an adult trusted by them to speak on their behalf. According to Eileen Munro (2002, p.117) it’s vital to always reflect and think about the possible options that is to say, considering the consequences and how probable they are, judging how bad or good these outcomes may be, and choosing the option which best reflects the decision maker’s values and beliefs and also in the best interest of the children. In relation to this case child at risk, the best outcome would be that the child is uninjured and grows up to be a healthy and fairly happy adult in