Children and young people’s experience of spaces and places will depend on a variety of different factors

collecting lichen in the Indian Himalayas it was clear that children in this village experienced the forest very differently

Jenks (2005) cited in (Clark and Gallacher, 2013) suggests, that children are often associated with certain settings and places exclusive to children

if children are seen outside the settings it is assumed they are in the wrong place. Jenks refers to children using the notion of “weeds”,

childhood also defines which social spaces are accessible and acceptable for children to experience

Jenks (2005) maintains, children and young people are often accused of invading adult territories and spaces

children are not only seen as in danger or vulnerable in public spaces, but adults often fear young people in public spaces and view them with much suspicion

Young people are often subject to surveillance at home and in school

Although young children can experience public spaces in a different manner to adults this is not seen as a threat as opposed to young people

Baumgartner (1988) states, adults frequently tried to remove all potential threats of teenagers on the streets by imposing curfews, making them feel unwelcome and involving the police to move them out of public spaces

public spaces are not open freely for teenagers to interact and experience as they wish

public spaces are in fact spaces which many adults believe they have the exclusive use of

adults frequently accused children and young people of misbehaving and being up to no good public spaces

playgrounds are designed with adults imposed ideas of correct behaviours, agendas and play for children Kozlovesky (2008)

most spaces are designed to be used by a wide range of people for different interactions and at different ages

Children and young people also need to negotiate the spaces they share with each other and often there is conflict over how they share certain spaces and places

Gang territories is also another way children find themselves excluded or unwelcome from certain areas within their community