Introduction

When it was first suggested to us (by Martin Woodhead, author of the Foreword) that the time was right for a substantial edited collection of writing on children and young people’s participation, the example of Bob Franklin’s Handbook of Children’s Rights (Franklin 1995; 2002) immediately came to mind. Those two volumes, it seems to us, were very influential in extending thinking on the subject of children’s rights, and they have continued to be an invaluable resource for students and practitioners at all levels. So we decided to call this a ‘Handbook’ too, and to ask Routledge if they would like to publish it. We were delighted when they agreed to do so, and we are grateful for the commitment that Grace McInnes and her team have given to this project.