ABSTRACT
Children constitute 23 per cent of the UK population, yet they are rarely considered and even more rarely consulted about the society in which they live (CSO, 1995, also see Knightsbridge-Randall, Chapter 7, this volume). They have for example no direct influence over the environment, public services or transport systems that they use, or the political agendas that affect them. There is no statutory representative mechanism available to children to influence and shape the society in which they are growing up and in which they will live their adult lives. This chapter explores how children’s active participation in society can be encouraged so that they can contribute to shaping their future environment. It examines the potential role of Local Agenda 21 as one element in the process of encouraging children’s participation.
