“Yes They are Listening but Do They Hear Us?” Reflections on the Journey of the Barnardo's Participation Project

Abstract

The Barnardo's Participation Project, previously known as the Disabled Children and Young People's Participation Project, was established by Barnardo's (Northern Ireland) in 2002. The aim of the Project was to develop ways of involving children and young people with disabilities in decision-making in relation to health and social care and children's services planning processes. Since its inception, hundreds of children and young people, with a range of physical and learning disabilities, sensory impairments and autism as well as life-limiting conditions, have participated in the Project. This paper describes how the Project has evolved over the years in response to emerging issues identified by the members as well as the demands of changing organisational and political contexts. Reflecting on the journey of the Project, the paper identifies the factors that contribute to successful participation practice and the challenges to participatory practice in recent years. As the title of this article suggests, the Project has found that children and young people with disabilities are skilled in recognising the difference between tokenistic consultation and meaningful participation. Within policy there is a strong emphasis on service user involvement; however, the principles of good participation practice require specific knowledge and attention. Good participation practice requires policy-makers and professionals to realign themselves with the rights of children and young people to have their say. The value of true, meaningful participation is evidenced by seeking and acting on their views about issues that affect their lives.

Keywords:

• Disability
• Health