Political representatives' experiences of child participation in decision‐making processes: A qualitative interview study

Abstract

The aim was to explore political representatives' experiences of child participation in decision‐making processes in municipalities. Interviews were conducted with Swedish politicians (n = 7) representing four municipalities. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Politicians had experiences in child participation and methods for involving children and young people in the practice. However, methods were not formalized within the organizations, underlining that work lies ahead to ensure children's participation in decisions that concern them. Further research should focus on methods for including child participation at the municipal level and on following the implementation of the UNCRC.