Although the limitations of promoting children’s participation during COVID-19 are strong, child rights and child protection organizations that serve children should also have an obligation to engage with children. This engagement, which is likely to begin as consultation, will help organizations understand children’s realities and adapt their programs, services, and supports to their expressed needs. Clearly, with the new limitations that COVID-19 have created—including restrictions on group gatherings, adaptations or closures of school environments, and significant increases in the amount of time children spend in their households—should lead us to reflect seriously about the ethics of engaging with children in this time.
This guide has been designed with quick tips and tools to start engaging with children immediately— either with tools that this guide provides or with proposed adaptations to tools already existing and in use.