Participation in child protection: empowering children in placement processes

This study explores how children who have experienced domestic violence and entered the child protection system are involved in decisions about their out-of-home placements. Researchers conducted focus group discussions with children living in residential care, family foster care, and crisis shelters in Germany. The findings show that children valued being consulted and wanted to work with child protection professionals on placement decisions, suggesting that meaningful child participation in these processes should be encouraged.

Key points

• Children exposed to domestic violence welcomed opportunities to be consulted about their placements
• The study examined three types of out-of-home placement settings: residential care, family foster care, and crisis shelters
• Children appreciated collaborative working with child protective service professionals
• The research identifies both facilitators and barriers to including children's opinions in child protection decision-making
• Involving children in placement decisions is generally recommended based on the children's own experiences

Limitations

The study captures children's perspectives on participation but does not measure outcomes of placements or compare decision quality between participatory and non-participatory processes. The focus on children's views alone does not establish whether participation in placement decisions leads to better protection outcomes or child well-being.