Policy document
Child participation in decision making
Francesca Gottschalk, Hannah Borhan ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This policy paper examines how children participate in decision-making processes, particularly within education systems in OECD countries. It argues that child participation is important both from a child rights perspective and because it is associated with positive outcomes at individual and societal levels. The paper explores policies and practices that enable children's participation in decisions affecting them, and identifies barriers that education systems face in implementing such participation.
Key points
- Child participation in decision-making on matters affecting them is associated with positive outcomes from individual to societal level
- Many OECD countries have domains in education where children actively participate in decisions
- Child participation is increasingly emphasized in policy and research discourse on supporting children's participation rights
- Education systems face barriers to implementing child participation that the paper outlines as key considerations
Limitations
The document provides a policy overview without presenting empirical evidence, data, or specific examples from particular interventions or countries. It does not evaluate the effectiveness of specific participation practices or provide detailed findings on outcomes.
Abstract
Child empowerment is on the policy agenda of education systems around the world, in particular since the increasing emphasis in policy and research discourse on supporting children’s participation rights. A large body of literature suggests that child participation in making decisions on matters that affect them is not only essential from a child rights perspective, but also that it is associated with several positive outcomes from the individual to societal level. In OECD countries there are many domains in which children can and do actively participate in making decisions, including regarding their education. This paper explores how and where children can participate in decision making, with a focus on policies and practices in OECD education systems. It outlines key considerations for child participation, including barriers that many systems are struggling to overcome.