ABSTRACT
What emerge from the chapters by Kirby and Laws; Alderson; Martin and Franklin; and Dadich are three key issues which reflect the challenges of participation for particular groups. First is the way in which adult interpretations of the dual concerns of protection and participation influence the social context in which children and young people seek to participate. Second, the chapters reveal the extent to which discrimination and exclusion, and social constructions of childhood, disability and the competence of children and young people can be detrimental to the participation of particular groups of children. Third, the chapters bring out the significance of the seldom referred-to Article 5 of the UNCRC, relating to the evolving capacity of children to participate, in turn raising the important issue of the role of adults in providing enabling environments for children to participate and to make participation inclusive, relevant and effective.
