Hart's Ladder of Participation

Children are given signs to hold during a political demonstration.

Children are given T-shirts related to a cause, but have little idea what it it is all about and had no say in the organisation of the event.

Children are invited onto a conference panel and are apparently given a voice, but in fact have little or no choice about the subject or the style of communicating it, and little or no opportunity to formulate their own opinions or discuss the issue with their peers.

Children are asked to draw their ideal playground, adults then synthesise the results and come up with a 'children's design'. The processes are not transparent to the children.

An adult wants to produce a children's book. Before it is sent to the publishers they ask a group of children what they think. Their views are listen to and respected and alterations are consequently made to the book based on their feedback.

Children participated as ushers at the UN World Summit for Children. A child was assigned to each of the Presidents and Prime Minsters, taking on both a function and symbolic role. In this role the child became an expert on the UN building and the event, ensuring that the leader was shown to the right place at the right time.

The headteacher has decided they want to produce a school newspaper. A journalist lunch club is created for children interested. The children create, write and produce the paper. But final decisions about content are made with adults.

Children decide to build a den in the woods.

After building the den in the woods, the children approach an adult to discuss how they can reinforce the roof.