Promoting participation for children and young people: some key questions for health and social welfare organisations

This article draws on research carried out by Barnardo's on behalf of the Health Education Authority. It analyses different meanings of 'participation' and identifies different processes in which it is currently deemed valuable to ensure children's participation. Although the article concludes by summarising some of the advantages of participation-for individuals, for organisations and for society-it challenges the reader to be clear about the nature and purpose of attempts to involve children