Background:
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that when decisions are made on behalf of children under the age of 18, the views of the child or group of children affected by the decision must be taken seriously. The child or group of children concerned must be able to express their views in a safe environment. Decision-makers are required to consider these views and weigh them alongside other relevant considerations. It should be documented and made transparent whose views were obtained, how they were obtained, and how they were assessed and weighed in the decision-making process.
Why are the views of the children affected by a decision often not included in the evidence base for decision-making?
- Many municipalities and national authorities are unaware of their obligation to obtain, assess, and weigh the views of the child or group of children affected by a decision.
- Youth councils or youth advisory panels may be invited to express their views without ensuring that they are representative of the children or young people the decision concerns.
- Student councils may be invited to express their views even when a decision affects a smaller group of pupils, such as children who are struggling or children whose behaviour is experienced as challenging.
What ChangeFactory does:
For many years, ChangeFactory has worked in Norway to increase awareness that children have the right to express their views in a safe environment. This applies both to individual children and to groups of children. The aim has been to help adults understand what children experience as safe, and how adults need to act, what they need to say, and what they need to keep in mind to ensure that children feel safe expressing their views. In recent years, a key focus has been strengthening children’s right to have their views taken seriously in decisions that affect them.
What ChangeFactory is doing now:
- Presenterer “Messages to the Parliament” from children to each Parliament committee in Norway making decisions on behalf of children in the areas of School and Kindergarten, Health, Child welfare and Justice
- Planning inspiration days in Denmark to share experiences from Norway on how the views of different groups of children under the age of 18 can be meaningfully included in decision-making.
- Identifying examples from Europe and beyond where groups of children and young people who are struggling or living in vulnerable situations are able to share their views and influence decisions. Examples are presented at Children in decision-making
