Our voices matter
Children Define Meaningful Participation: Insights from Five European Countries.
This report looks at how children understand, view and experience child participation in decision-making processes. Eurochild consulted with 128 children who shared their views, experiences, and ideas about what participation means to them and how it should work in practice. The consultations were conducted by five National Eurochild Forums (NEFs) in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Malta and Wales (UK).
Children were clear that they want to be involved in decisions that affect their lives because participation is their right. For them, participation is not just about being asked for an opinion occasionally. It means being included equally in discussions and decisions that shape their everyday lives, whether at school, in their communities, or in public policies
that affect them.
Many children described situations where they were asked for their views but never received feedback afterwards. They did not know whether their ideas were considered, whether anything changed, or why decisions were made differently. When participation is not followed by feedback or visible action, it can feel disappointing and discouraging.
Children are not asking for adults to agree with every idea they have. Instead, they want honesty, transparency, and genuine respect. Participation must be meaningful, inclusive, and lead to real impact.
