Step 4. Find out what you need to do to work with children

You are getting there! However, working with children requires additional things to consider. This step is absolutely crucial – meaningful and safe child participation requires several considerations that are not necessarily the same as when working with adults. Consider these sub-steps carefully: you cannot rush this step.

Once you have gone through the following three sub-steps, we recommend that you consult with a child participation expert to ensure that you haven’t missed anything vital. Remember, ensuring ethical and safe participation for children must always be your number one priority. 

Sub-step 4.1. Child Safeguarding

Guiding questions:

  • How safe are the activities children would participate in? 
  • Have you done a risk assessment? Why not?
  • Does your organization have a child safeguarding policy?
  • For this work, what specific safeguarding procedures need to be developed? 
  • How can you ensure that all involved adults are trained appropriately in safeguarding children and procedures are followed? 

Sub-step 4.2. Investigate what (legal) material you need for working with children

Guiding questions:

  • What materials do you need to be prepared for age-appropriate activities?
  • What is the process for obtaining children’s consent? What is the process for obtaining parental consent?
  • How will you ensure all necessary permissions are obtained?

Sub-step 4.3. Ensure ethical and meaningful child participation

Guiding questions:

  • Do you know the nine basic requirements for meaningful and ethical children’s participation?
  • What procedures are more challenging or need to be developed to reach the nine pillars?
  • Do the children know why they can be involved in this work (programme, activity,…)?
  • What added value do children get out of the interaction?
  • Have you consulted with experts and the target groups?
Examples:

Tools/Resources:
  1. Engaging Children in Decision Making – A Guide for Consulting Children, p. 26
    Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA)
    This guide provides a project checklist: things you need to do before starting working with children.
  2. CBSS Child Safeguarding Policy
    Council of the Baltic Sea States
    CBSS safeguarding policy
  3. Writing Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
    National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
    Guide that helps you develop effective safeguarding policies and procedures.
  4. What is Child Safeguarding?
    Save the Children, US
    Basic introduction to child safeguarding.
  5. Guidance on the Use of Photos of Children
    Council of the Baltic Sea States
    Guidelines on ethically using photos of children.
  6. Risk Assessment Tool for Adolescent Participation
    UNICEF, p. 60
    Tool for assessing risks associated with adolescent participation.
  7. Child Safeguarding Risk Self-Assessment Tool
    Keeping Children Safe
    A self-assessment tool designed to help organizations evaluate their child safeguarding practices.
  8. Risk Assessment Tool for Child Participation
    Brave Movement
    Tool to helps plan and protect children from harm during Brave Movement activities.
  9. The Nine Basic Requirements for Meaningful and Ethical Children’s Participation
    Save the Children
    Nine basic requirements for ensuring meaningful and ethical participation of children.
  10. UNICEF Example Consent Form
    A template consent form.
  11. Key Considerations for Organisations Working with Children
    Emerging Minds
    Factors for organisations to consider when working with children.