Casgliadau i gloi CRC 2023, paragraff 23

Noting with concern that children’s views are not systematically taken into account in decisions affecting them and in national and local decision-making, and underscoring the importance of the availability of age-appropriate information to facilitate child participation, the Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Ensure the right of all children, including younger children, children with disabilities and children in care, to express their views and to have them taken into account in all decisions affecting them, including in courts and relevant judicial proceedings and regarding domestic violence, custody, placement in alternative care, health, including mental health treatment, education, justice, migration and asylum; (b) Strengthen measures to promote the meaningful participation of children in family, community and school settings, and in policymaking at local and national levels, including on so-called “reserved matters”, and develop mechanisms to ensure that the outcomes of children’s and youth parliaments are systematically fed into public decision-making; (c) Ensure that all relevant professionals working with and for children systematically receive appropriate training on the right of the child to be heard and to have his or her opinions taken into account; (d) Consider holding consultations with children and civil society in England and Northern Ireland on lowering the voting age to 16 years.