Play: Fostering relationships that inspire positive change in young people’s meaningful participation

Abstract

Despite play’s recognition in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and evidence that play is beneficial to children’s development, and a vehicle to support realization of other children’s rights, it is one of the most neglected rights of the child. An overarching devalue of play has implications on its relationship with children’s participation rights and correspondingly the realization of young people’s meaningful participation. This article explores the interplay between the right to play and children’s participation rights. Drawing upon a participatory play-based research qualitative study with young people at a youth-driven child rights workshop entitled XXXX and interviews with adults, the article considers the role of play in relational development for meaningful participation, as well as the devalue of play across young people and adults.  The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of findings and provides recommendations for the role of play to co-create transformative participatory environments in research, policy, and programs.