posted on 2011-04-20, 16:13authored byLaurie Day, Liz Sutton, Jenkins Sarah
This briefing paper summarises the findings from research carried out by Ecorys (formerly
ECOTEC) and Loughborough University. The study set out to examine children and young
people's roles in planning, design and regeneration in the UK and internationally; to map and
assess different models of practice, and to locate these practices within wider debates about
children's participation and citizenship. It also aimed to review the methods used to measure
impact and outcomes in this area.
The work was carried out between June 2010 and January 2011, and funded through the
2010-11 Round of the Ecorys Research Programme1. The methodology comprised a review
of UK and international research literature, adopting the principles of a Rapid Evidence
Assessment (REA)2; an analysis of selected UK policy and strategy documents, and a small
number of exploratory stakeholder interviews. The research team was supported by an
Advisory Group with representatives from policy and academia. The report concludes that the spatial aspects of children's participation crosscut the
wider participation agenda, but have too often been overlooked within a service-driven
approach to policymaking. There is evidence from research and practice that children
and young people can play a significant role within planning and regeneration processes,
with potential benefits at individual, peer group and community levels. A stronger
evidence base is clearly needed to understand the longer-term impacts in this area.
The recent change in government and emerging policies present both opportunities and
challenges for children and young people's participation within the UK. There has been
a renewed focus on citizenship of sorts, whilst the Localism agenda and Big Society
place an emphasis on municipal leadership, which is a characteristic feature of many
rights-based programmes worldwide. However, public sector funding cuts, coupled with
the dismantlement of the national planning framework arguably run the risk of leaving
children more vulnerable to exclusion from local planning decisions that affect their lives.
The authors argue that developing a more outward-facing approach, and engaging with
the various transnational networks of good practice that have been established around
the CRC agenda should be a priority.
History
School
Social Sciences
Department
Communication, Media, Social and Policy Studies
Research Unit
Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP)
Citation
DAY, L., SUTTON, L. and JENKINS, S., 2011. Children and young people's participation in planning and regeneration: a final report to the Ecorys Research Programme 2010-11. UK: Ecorys.