Abstract

How do you ensure that children's voices and ideas are heard and valued in relation to the settings that form part of their everyday lives?

Presenting an easy to adopt step-by-step framework, this book argues in favour of children's potential to advocate for themselves, in contrast to the current model in which adults take full control and advocate on the child's behalf. By honouring and harnessing the involvement and contributions of children, social workers and education professionals will be able to improve their daily practice and positively transform key spaces within society to create environments where children experience a sense of belonging and purpose, full of potential benefits for both adults and children. Practical at its core, the book has wide applications, from examining the place of children in legal matters, such as divorce, through to the child's engagement in decisions about their education. International case studies reveal how the model works in practice and encourages children's voices and their participation.

Sam Frankel is Creative Director of EquippingKids. He is Honorary Research Fellow University of Sheffield and part-time faculty at Kings at University of Western Ontario, Canada. Publications include Streetwise (JKP, 2009).
This book presents clear and useful steps to engaging with children in a meaningful way. With a wide range of examples from policy, practice, and theory, Sam Frankel highlights the need to recognize the value of children's voices. The book will be an invaluable resource to anyone who is working towards effectively advocating with and not for children.
Dr Sally McNamee, Associate Professor, King’s University College, London Ontario
This guide provides a valuable contribution to rethinking children's participation. By encouraging adults to reflect on their assumptions, practices and the 'spaces' for interacting with children, Frankel provides an accessible and useful guide for embedding a culture of advocacy for children's rights and participation into everyday practice and repositioning adults in relation to children. The book's real value is in highlighting that children's rights and participation is everybody's responsibility.
Barry Percy-Smith, Professor of Childhood and Participatory Practice, University of Huddersfield