Promoting Children s Rights in Social Work and Social Care: A Guide to Participatory Practice

Children have a right to participate in decisions that affect them, and their participation can have positive effects such as increased self-esteem and confidence, as well as improving decisions made by professionals working with them. The right children have to be heard is high on the public agenda, but there are still debates over how and when they can be involved, what form their participation should take and organisational cultures that facilitate this. "Children and Participation" addresses these questions and the nature of children's participation in the social care field. The author discusses the reality of the world in which children live and outlines definitions of participation and current initiatives for children's involvement. Four research studies on children's participation in the UK are then presented, based on interviews with children aged 6-19. They cover children's views on decision-making and recording processes, their opinions on the social work help they have received, whether they feel their views have been taken into account, and the responses of the agencies involved. This book will be essential reading for any social work or social care professional working with children, as well as students and academics in the social work and social care fields. It will also be invaluable to those involved in promoting children's rights and child participation. This series concentrates on the theme of children's rights, reflecting the increasing knowledge and practice in the area. The perspectives of empowerment and of 'voice' run through the series and the United Nations' Convention of the Right of the Child is used as a benchmark.

Previously a Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Social Policy, Director of Graduate Studies and Research Fellow at The University of York, Margaret now acts in an independent capacity as consultant, writer and researcher and is an associate member of Making Research Count (University of York). She has undertaken funded research and provided consultancy and training to government, research councils and advisory groups, to local authorities and to agencies and organisations in the private and voluntary sector, including medical, legal and court forums. Her expertise is in safeguarding children, with a particular interest in children and families participation. Her writing includes a jointly authored book on working with families, and two single authored books on children and family participation in child protection social work.