RESPECT, © Marina Knežević Barišić © Marina Knežević INVOLVE, ACCEPT Child participation in the Republic of Croatia – situation analysis This is a both a scholarly and practical text, and the style of writing adapts to the topic – the text is scholarly when it gives an overview of a topic or research results, but when it describes phenomena, examples of practice, and the like, then it reads as a text based on professional experience. The paper tackles the topic of child participation, which is analysed from various perspectives, taking into account the fact that it concerns very different aspects of children’s lives, from legislation, research, and, especially, the teaching of the rights of children and participatory rights, to the analysis of good practice in the area of child participation. The study is particularly valuable in terms of its approach to the topic – the problem of child participation in the Republic of Croatia is approached in a special, methodologically and scientifically based way – the topic itself becomes a method, because, in their analysis, the authors apply the principle of participation of both adults who work with children professionally, and children, who added special value to the process of analysis and the conclusions on the findings. Although in the chapter on conclusions and recommendations the authors claim that this analysis (only) documents the existence of some indicators of child participation, and that they cannot comment on their quality or implementation, this study is very important for Croatia for several reasons. The issue of child participation is analysed from various aspects, from legislation to practice, and the study identifies crucial strengths (legislation) and weaknesses (implementation), which clarifies the conditions in which children in Croatia live in terms of participation and in the respect of children’s rights. This opens the way for concrete improvements and, of course, for future research on a range of segments covered in this study. Written in simple and easily understandable language, while at the same time displaying expertise and being scientifically founded, this study can be of use to anyone who is either working with children directly, or developing child-related policies and everyday practice in different ways, from university students and staff in education, healthcare, social welfare or justice systems, to advocates of children’s rights, media experts and the widest general public. Associate Professor Ivanka Stričević, PhD Since researchers dealing with children’s rights in Croatia have not so far focused their scientific interest on this topic, this study represents a first in the analysis of the state of child participation in Croatia. The authors warn of the need to deal with this topic, they present the reader with the real state of child participation in various systems, they raise a number of issues, and pose new challenges to academics, experts, decision makers, and those who work with children in practice. More specifically, this study will satisfy the professional interest and curiosity of a wide range of experts who work with children – from scientists to university teachers, kindergarten and school teachers, experts in the systems of social welfare, healthcare and the judiciary, representatives of associations, and local, regional and public administration. The authors of this study are scientists who have systematically and thoroughly researched the contexts of the exercise of children’s participatory rights, proving by their approach that participation is not only their academic interest, but also their personal and professional philosophy and part of their world view which they build into their research, teaching and advocacy. The philosophy and the intention behind this study can and should be an impetus to readers to initiate positive change in their field of work. There is no need to wait – the authors’ recommendations are systematic, concise and clear, and one could say – participatory. The only thing that remains is – active participation! Arijana Mataga Tintor, PhD RESPECT, INVOLVE, ACCEPT Child participation in the Republic of Croatia – situation analysis The UNICEF Office for Croatia would like to thank all individuals and businesses for their donations which have supported UNICEF activities and programmes for the most vulnerable groups of children and young people, and made this publication and the study that preceded it possible. Publisher UNICEF Office for Croatia Executive editors Ivana Jeđud Borić Anja Mirosavljević Marijana Šalinović Authors Ivana Jeđud Borić Anja Mirosavljević Nivex Koller-Trbović Ana Širanović Sandra Car Barbara Kušević Reviewers Arijana Mataga Tintor Ivanka Stričević Proofreading of the Croatian text Ankica Tomić Translation into English Davies d.o.o., Zagreb Graphic Design Dijana Kasavica All rights reserved. When quoting and using material from this publication, please cite the source. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official views of UNICEF. ISBN 978-953-7702-38-0 CONTENT 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 8 2. CHILD PARTICIPATION – DEFINITION AND MODELS ������������������������������10 2.1. Definition and understanding of child participation ...........................................10 2.2. Models of child participation ................................................................................14 3. LEGISLATION AND STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS ON CHILD PARTICIPATION ...................................................................................... 20 3.1. Child participation in the context of international strategies and documents...... 20 3.2. Definitions of the term “child” in Croatian legislation ...................................... 22 3.3. Rationale and criteria for the analysis ................................................................ 24 3.4. National strategies for children and young people ........................................... 26 3.5. Child participation in the education system ....................................................... 29 3.6. Child participation in the healthcare system ...................................................... 34 3.7. Child participation in the justice system ............................................................. 35 3.8. Child participation in the social welfare system ................................................ 38 3.9. Conclusions of the analysis of legislation and strategic documents ............... 43 4. RESEARCH IN THE AREA OF CHILD PARTICIPATION .............................. 46 4.1. Children as research participants ........................................................................ 46 4.2. Rationale and criteria for the analysis ................................................................ 47 4.3. Research which promotes the idea of child participation ................................. 48 4.4. Child participation through the research of children’s perspective .................. 50 4.5. Child participation in research in terms of vulnerability ................................... 52 4.6. Child participation in research in terms of different environments ................. 54 4.7. Child participation in research in a time continuum .......................................... 55 4.8. Child participation in research in terms of research methods .......................... 56 4.9. Child participation in research through the prism of ethical questions ........... 57 4.10. Conclusions in the area of child participation research .................................... 57 5. TEACHING CHILD PARTICIPATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF UNIVERSITY STUDY PROGRAMMES ......................................................... 60 5.1. Implementation of participation as a value through adult education .............. 60 5.2. Rationale and criteria for the analysis ................................................................ 61 5.3. Quantitative indicators of the analysed studies ................................................ 62 5.4. Course leaders, the status and the content of the analysed subjects .............. 64 5.5. Conclusions of the analysis of teaching child participation within the framework of study programmes ............................................................ 65 6. PRESENTATION OF EXAMPLES OF PRACTICES OF CHILD PARTICIPATION ....................................................................................... 68 6.1. The Network of Youth Advisors to the Ombudsperson for Children ................ 69 6.2. The Society Our Children Opatija – Opatija Children’s City Council ................. 73 6.3. Dječja igra [Child’s Play] Kindergarten ................................................................76 6.4. Špansko Oranice Primary School, Zagreb .......................................................... 80 6.5. The Igra [Play] Association .................................................................................. 85 6.6. Mali dom [Little Home] – day centre for the rehabilitation of children and youth ...................................................................................................... 88 6.7. The Firefly Association.......................................................................................... 91 7. THE PARTICIPATION OF CHILDREN FROM VULNERABLE GROUPS ...... 94 7.1. Roma children .......................................................................................................