What the research from Romania and four other European countries reveals
Children’s right to participate in decisions that affect them is increasingly recognised in European legislation. In practice, however, consultations with children often remain a formality, with no guarantee that public authorities will take their views into account. This is one of the main findings of the reports produced under the European ChildACT+ project, which examines children’s participation in decision-making processes in Romania, Estonia, Italy, Latvia and Spain.
Partners in the five countries conducted national studies on children’s participation in public decision-making. Their findings were brought together in a comparative report outlining the main challenges identified, alongside recommendations for improving children’s participation. The research was carried out between April and June 2026 and examined national legislation, existing participation mechanisms and children’s experiences of engaging with local public authorities. It involved interviews with children and professionals, focus groups and requests for information submitted to local authorities.
Romania: Legislative progress, but participation mechanisms remain underdeveloped
The adoption of Law No. 295/2024 marks an important step forward for children’s participation in public decision-making in Romania. The new legislation introduces obligations for central and local public authorities to consult children aged 14–18, establish permanent participation mechanisms and appoint staff responsible for coordinating this process.
Nevertheless, the national report highlights significant gaps between legislative provisions and their implementation in practice. Romania still lacks a national monitoring and evaluation framework to assess whether public authorities are meeting these obligations and, more importantly, whether children’s views are actually taken into account when decisions are made.
Children’s participation continues to depend largely on initiatives led by non-governmental organisations, time-limited projects and the willingness of local authorities to engage. The most developed participation mechanisms are generally found in larger cities, where more resources are available and partnerships with civil society organisations are better established.
For an overview of the main findings, see the infographic summarising the situation in Romania. Further details on the legal framework, existing participation mechanisms and the challenges identified are available in the national report.
Five European countries facing similar challenges
The comparative report shows that, despite differences in the administrative and legal systems of the five countries, they face a common challenge: consulting children does not necessarily mean that their views will influence the final decision.
In Estonia, where participation structures are more developed, children still struggle to see what impact their proposals have had. In Latvia, young people interviewed described situations in which they submitted proposals to public authorities but received no subsequent information about what happened to them. In Spain and Italy, opportunities for participation vary considerably between municipalities, depending on available resources, the commitment of local authorities and the involvement of local organisations.
The research also highlights inequalities in access to participation. Children living in rural areas, children with disabilities and those from low-income families face additional barriers. At the same time, consultations tend to involve children who are already active in student councils, youth organisations or other civic initiatives, while the views of those outside these groups are less well represented.
The children interviewed expressed a particular interest in being involved in decisions affecting their everyday lives, including education, mental health, transport, public spaces, the environment and the development of their local communities.
The ChildACT+ comparative report brings together the main findings from the five countries and provides recommendations for strengthening children’s participation at local and national levels. The full report is available here.
How can public authorities ensure children’s views are taken into account?
The reports show that organising consultations alone is not enough. For children’s participation to have a meaningful impact, public authorities need to establish permanent consultation mechanisms, allocate adequate funding and monitor how legislation is implemented.
Equally important is ensuring that children receive feedback on their proposals: which were accepted, which were not, and why. Participation should not end once children have expressed their views. They can also be involved in identifying problems within their communities, developing solutions, making decisions and evaluating the results.
European good practices in children’s participation
Alongside the national studies and comparative report, we also produced a collection of good practices on children’s participation in public decision-making. The publication brings together examples from the five partner countries, as well as Austria, Belgium, Ireland and Finland.
It presents initiatives that have enabled children and young people to contribute to decisions affecting their communities, ranging from participatory budgeting and advisory councils to urban planning projects and local civic initiatives. These examples illustrate how long-term participation mechanisms can be developed and adapted by other local authorities.
The collection of good practices is available here.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.