The role of social and psychological resources in children's perception of their participation rights

Abstract

Children's participation rights are recognised across the world. However, we still have relatively little empirical evidence on children's views of these rights and on the necessary conditions to effectively realise them. This study set out to explore how children assess their participation rights in school, and whether these assessments vary as a function of social and psychological resources, which constitute the preconditions for practicing participation rights. The sample included 1006 children (48.8% female, mean age=11.71years) who were enrolled in the penultimate or final year of public primary school in Geneva, Switzerland. A majority of these children reported that they could exercise their participation rights in school. Furthermore, results indicate that children's assessments of their participation rights did not differ systematically across classes, schools, or city districts. However, these assessments were significantly related to social and psychological resources, including children's subjective well-being and feelings of safety, a perceived climate of social non-discrimination, and the presence of a person of trust in the school environment. In conclusion, this study goes beyond previous research by examining both children's views of their participation rights and to what extent they depend on social and psychological resources. The study also provides original empirical evidence on the extent to which children's participation rights are implemented in practice.