Hvilken betydning har rom og sted for barn og unges deltakelse i barnevernets praksis?

Abstract

The intention in this chapter is to discuss the significance of the physical surroundings, the space and place, for children and young people’s participation in child welfare. In spite of a growth of interest in children’s participation in recent years, research shows that children often do not participate when their families are in contact with child welfare services. The reasons for lack of participatory practice have mostly revolved around the need to protect children, the social worker’s competence or willingness to involve children. Experiences from three different research projects aiming to enhance children’s participation in child welfare form the empirical basis for the discussion. Using socio-material and socio-spatial perspectives as theoretical framework, the analysis focus on how the material context in child welfare may contribute to or hamper possibilities for participatory practice for children and young people. Do the material design mediate an old-fashioned understanding of children, where children should be seen, but not heard? The chapter concludes with suggestions to better children’s and young people’s access to child welfare and to build child-friendly places for talking with children and young people, in order to open up new perspectives for implementing children’s participation.