Democracy Spraffa

Appendix 1 - Learner Participation Framework 2025-28

Perth and Kinross Council · 27 May 2026
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 27 May 2026 and its agenda

Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.

Original council PDF · Download plain text

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Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028
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Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028
August 2025 
A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live 
life well, free from poverty and inequality

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Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Rationale ................................................................................................................................. 3
1.2 National Context .................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Principles of Participation ..................................................................................................... 5
1.4 Local Context ......................................................................................................................... 7
Putting into Practice ............................................................................. 7
2. Framework Outcomes ................................................................................................. 7
2.1 To ensure improved quality of learner participation, all senior leaders should: ........... 8
2.2 To ensure improved quality of learner participation, the local authority will: ................ 8
3. Highly Effective Practice ............................................................................................. 9
Participation Arena 1: Learning, Teaching and Assessment - Space .................................. 9
Participation Arena 2: Opportunities for Personal Achievement - Space .......................... 12
Priority Arena 3: Decision Making Groups - Space ............................................................... 13
Participation Arena 4: Wider Community - Space ................................................................. 14
Combined Arenas of Participation ........................................................................................... 15
• Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge ................................ 15
• Person centred planning tools ........................................................................................ 15
Appendix 1 ........................................................................................................................ 16
Young Voice of Perth .................................................................................................... 16
Appendix 2 ........................................................................................................................ 17
Learner Participation Groups in Perth and Kinross .................................................... 17
Appendix 3 ........................................................................................................................ 19
Hart’s Ladder ............................................................................................................................. 20
Resources ......................................................................................................................... 21

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The purpose of this Framework is to provide information and resources to support
schools and ELC settings to implement a children’s human rights approach to
learner participation. This will assist schools and settings to meet their legal
requirements under section 6 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the
Child (Incorporation)(Scotland) Act 2024 – UNCRC Act, for short. 
This Framework will introduce the UNCRC Act 2024, share our Perth and Kinross
approach to embedding a children’s human rights approach to learner participation,
set out expectations for schools / ELC settings and the local authority and share links
to relevant policies and resources. 
This Framework was written in consultation with children and young people from
across Perth and Kinross and aims to ensure that the voices of children and young
people are heard at all levels in Perth and Kinross, on issues that matter most to
them.   
1.1 Rationale 
Perth and Kinross Council is committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for
our children and young people. The central part of our ambition is to recognise,
respect and promote children’s rights, as set out in the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).  
The UNCRC (Incorporation)(Scotland) Act 2024 was approved by the Scottish
Parliament on 7 December 2023 and received Royal Assent on 16 January 2024,
coming into force on 16 July 2024.  Introduction of The Act means there are new
legal requirements to extend and protect children’s rights. The Act makes it unlawful
for public authorities, to act incompatibly with the UNCRC requirements in the
schedule of the Act. It also gives children, young people, and their representatives a
new ability to use the courts to enforce their rights. 
Introduction

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There are four articles in the UNCRC that are seen as special. They are known as
the “General Principles”, and they help to interpret all the other articles. The right to
express a view and have that view taken into account is one of the four General
Principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is seen to be essential and
if violated, would have an impact on all other rights. 
Implementing a children’s human rights approach, where UNCRC is placed at
the core of planning and decision making will ensure Learner Participation is a
meaningful, purposeful process, not a tokenistic or one-off event. 
1.2 National Context 
The UNCRC Act sets out national statutory requirements to ensure that children and
young people have their voices heard. The Act aims to ensure that:
• children's rights are respected and protected in the law in Scotland
• public authorities are legally required to respect and protect children's rights in
the work that they do
The Promise includes ‘voice’ as one of the key foundations which must be at the
heart of how we think, plan and prioritise for children and young people. 
Achieving Excellence and Equity, 2025 National Improvement Framework and
Improvement Plan (NIF) sets out the vision to ‘respect, protect, and fulfil the rights of
every child and young person in order to ensure these are incorporated fully across
the Scottish education system.’ The first key priority of the NIF continues to prioritise
children’s rights: 
• Placing the human rights and needs of every child and young person at the
centre of education.

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How good is OUR School? Part 1 and Part 2 were produced to give children and
young people a stronger voice in school self-evaluation and school improvement in
ways to enhance learning.   
The Youth Voice Toolkit was launched in August 2025 and supports approaches to
setting up and implementing groups of children and young people coming together in
relation to youth participation and democracy at school and local authority level.   
Learner Participation in Educational Settings 3-18 guidance was initially developed in
response to research that was commissioned by the Children and Young People’s
Commissioner Scotland and carried out by the University of Stirling. It defines
learner participation as: 
Learner participation in schools and ELC settings includes all of the ways in
which children and young people engage in practices and dialogue with
educational staff, parents, carers, and community members to create positive
outcomes and changes. 
1.3 Principles of Participation 
This Framework is underpinned by rights based approaches to involving children in
decision making processes at all levels. The Framework sets out expectations for
highly effective practice in the Four Arenas of Participation. Effective practice is
highlighted for each of the four conditions described in Lundy’s Model of
Participation. The 7 Golden Rules are the overarching principles which guide any
of our work with children and young people. 
Learner Participation in Educational Settings 3-18 guidance introduces the ‘Four
Arenas of Participation’ which provides a framework for how children and young
people can have a say in schools and ELC settings. 
These are:
• In Learning, Teaching, and Assessment
• In Opportunities for Personal Achievement
• In Decision Making Groups
• In Connection with the Wider Community

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The Lundy Model of Participation helps to understand the conditions which must be
present for effective learner participation and delivery on Article 12.   
Space - Children and young people must be given a
safe and inclusive space to form and express their
views. 
Voice – Children and young people must be given
information and support to express their views. 
Influence - Children and young people's views must
be listened to and communicated to the right people. 
Audience - Children and young people's views must
be acted upon, as appropriate. 
7 Golden Rules The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland
The 7 Golden Rules for Participation are a set of principles that anyone working with
children and young people can use. They inform adults what children and young
people’s participation should feel like.
They were developed through consultation
with children and young people and
research with professional adults reflecting
the knowledge and experience of those
working to promote participation. 
The Golden Rules are directly informed by
the United Nations Committee on the
Rights of the Child’s General Comment
No. 12 (2009) and support the
requirements necessary to achieve
effective, meaningful and ethical
implementation of participation.

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1.4 Local Context 
The Learning, Teaching, Assessment and
Moderation Framework 2023 – 2026 sets out
key features of highly effective learning and
teaching. The Framework place children’s rights
as essential and integral to improving outcomes
for all children and young people. 
Learner Leadership of Learning is one of the
key features of highly effective practice
identified in the Learning, Teaching,
Assessment and Moderation Framework.
Learner participation promotes and strengthens
practice in this area. 
Evidence from recent HMI inspections, Quality
Improvement Reviews and self-evaluations
received from schools and ELC settings, shows
a wide range of examples of effective learner
participation in ELC settings and schools.  This
Participation Framework aims to promote highly
effective practice and improved opportunities
and outcomes for all children and young people. 
2. Framework Outcomes
Why should we promote effective learner participation? 
Putting into Practice
Across many studies, we can say the main evidenced effects of enhancing learner
participation are: 
• improved pupil-teacher, child-staff, and peer-to-peer relations 
• improved wellbeing 
• improved teaching and learning 
• improved guidance and support 
• a better school ethos and greater sense of a shared community 
• a reciprocal sense of feeling valued, trusted and respected 
• development of life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and citizenship 
• improved engagement, empowerment, and commitment to education 
• improved achievement and attainment 
• an addressing of the ‘attainment gap’ between learners from more and less
deprived backgrounds                                 
Learner Participation in Educational Settings (3-18), 2018

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2.1 To ensure improved quality of learner participation, all senior leaders
should:
• Ensure that practice in Learner Participation features in the annual self-
evaluation cycle and, as appropriate, in the improvement planning cycle
ensuring it is robustly and consistently developed across all classes and
settings
• Ensure there are regular, planned opportunities for children and young people
to participate in and initiate decision making at class, whole school and wider
community level 
• Ensure learner voice is evident in quality improvement and self-evaluation
activity and evidenced in the self-evaluation documentation
• Implement inclusive approaches to ensure all voices of children and young
people are heard
• Ensure actions taken in response to learner voice are regularly shared with
children and young people and parents e.g. the school website, displays and/
or newsletters
• Aspire to the highly effective practice examples in Section 3
• Ensure there is a Pupil Council or similar group leading change and making
decisions at school level
• Ensure representatives across the school attend locally planned Young Voice
Meetings or events
• Engage in professional learning opportunities which will be available for
teachers and practitioners to explore and develop practice through the
Education and Learning Hub and on the SharePoint Children’s Rights
(UNCRC), Learner Participation and Youth Voice (sharepoint.com) 
2.2 To ensure improved quality of learner participation, the local authority will:
• Provide support and challenge to schools and settings to bring about
improvements in Learner Participation
• Identify and promote effective practice in ELC settings, classrooms and
elsewhere
• Plan, support and deliver professional
learning
• Establish local authority
opportunities to involve children and
young people at early stages in the
work of the service through use of
the Young Voice of Perth 
• Establish links with the Children's
Parliament, local committees and
the wider community

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3. Highly Effective Practice
For each of the Four Arenas of Participation, effective practice has been illustrated below for each of the four conditions of the
Lundy Model of Participation – Space, Voice, Audience and Influence. Opportunities to ensure Space are illustrated separately
for each arena, then combined examples for Voice, Audience and Influence.  
Participation Arena 1: Learning, Teaching and Assessment - Space
Description
In this arena, all young people have opportunities to influence and participate in decisions about the approaches taken, the topic, content,
timetabling, sequence, structures and emphases in how they learn, are taught, and assessed. 
Through participation, learners will exercise a key role in actively supporting curriculum making within Curriculum for Excellence through
on-going dialogue with teachers and others.
Examples of Highly Effective Practice:
Participation Arena 1: Learning, Teaching and Assessment
In Class In School Local Authority/National
A voice and choice in what they learn, where they learn
and how they learn in all areas of learning.
• The experiences and spaces in the ELC setting fully
reflect the current interests and fascinations of the
children
• Contribute to classroom layout and displays
• Class Charter jointly created
• Check ins / Emotion regulations
• Joint planning – what, how, where we learn
• Staff in the ELC setting use effective methods to
gather and evidence the views of children and to
enable them to reflect on their play and learning
Planned opportunities to ensure the voice of all
children is heard in leading change and
improvement at school level and evaluating the
impact of their own involvement in
improvement activity.
• Through self-evaluation activities
• Leadership Groups with action plans
• Child Friendly Complaints Process 
Consultation on and contribution to creating,
reviewing and evaluating curriculum design
and learning and teaching approaches.
Planned opportunities to have their voice heard
at local authority level on their experiences in
school and their ideas, thoughts and opinions
on how to improve learning, teaching and
assessment.
• Pupil Focus Groups in Quality Improvement
Framework approaches – e.g. Quality
Improvement Reviews
• Young Voice of PKC participation
• Pupil Council consultation
• Child Friendly Complaints Process

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experiences in a meaningful way.  E.g. the Floorbook
approach
• Choices in learning, including use of technologies 
Regular and planned opportunities to share their
feelings, ideas, views and opinions.
• Asking and answering questions
• Pair, group discussions
• Debate
• Presenting and sharing learning for different
audiences
• Articulate strategies and learning approaches
• Cooperative and collaborative learning 
• Choice in how to share and present learning 
Regular, planned opportunities to lead their learning,
taking increasing responsibility and independence in
learning. 
• Children in the ELC setting are well supported to lead
their own play and learning
• Choice Boards 
• Genius hour
• Station Rotation / Learning Zones 
• Peer tutoring
• Problem solving
• Enterprise 
A voice in their learning progress and an understanding
of the purpose of learning.
• Children in the ELC setting are involved in agreeing
their individual next steps.  These next steps are
visible and accessible in the playroom.  The
achievement of next steps is recognised and
celebrated.
• Share OLI and SC and opportunities to co-create SC
• Pupil Focus Groups for all children
• Surveys gathering views and feedback
• Involvement in quality assurance approaches
– consideration of how to provide feedback
on teaching approaches, assessment and
curriculum 
Planning, leading and evaluating school events
for children and young people, parents and the
community.
• Leading clubs and programmes
• Sharing the Learning Events
• Running curriculum evenings, Sports Day,
Charity/Fundraising Events 
Contribute to review, design and development
of school environment, indoor and outdoor
spaces.

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• Receive high quality feedback which ensures
knowledge of progress and next steps
• Awareness of own skills development and evaluation
of progress with skills for learning, life and work
• Set and review own learning goals
• Self and peer assessment against OLI and SC.
Providing feedback to peers
• Learning conversations support reflection on progress
• Profiling shares progress in all areas of the
curriculum, including skills development
• Decision making about their learning support – CYPP
involvement

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Participation Arena 2: Opportunities for Personal Achievement - Space
Description
Through dialogue with adults in this arena, learners can influence a variety of important decisions. Opportunities for personal achievement
can be shaped, designed or initiated by young people themselves or may be provided in collaboration with teachers, community groups,
non-governmental organisations and other bodies.
Through engagement in this arena, young people are able to significantly influence school ethos and culture. 
Examples of Highly Effective Practice:
Participation Arena 2: Opportunities for Personal Achievement
In Class In School Local Authority/National
Planned opportunities to hear the voice of all when
planning, delivering and evaluating curriculum
experiences for personal achievement.
• In the ELC setting, children’s achievements at
home and in the setting are recognised, celebrated
and displayed at the child’s level.
• Senior Phase option choices
• Work-based learning, placements and
apprenticeships
• Enterprise challenges, fundraising, DYW
• Outdoor learning
• Arts, theatre, music and dance
• Competitions, exhibitions and trips
• Extra-curricular choices 
Planned opportunities to reflect on personal
achievement and the link to the world of work
• Learning conversations
• Profiling reflection on skills and achievements
• Involvement in CYPP review and planning
Ensuring approaches are in place to hear the voice of all
children when planning, reviewing and implementing
approaches to personal achievement across all
curriculum areas.
• Leadership Groups – designing, delivering and
evaluating opportunities
• Groups leading and collaborating with staff in planning
for, delivering and taking part in sports events,
volunteering opportunities, after school clubs, trips,
competitions, assemblies
• Champs Boards for care experienced young people
• Surveys, focus groups gathering feedback
• Involvement in choice for Awards Schemes
• Amazing Things – Youth Awards in Scotland
• JAS Award Scheme
• Hi5 Award
• Dynamic Youth Award
• Youth Achievement Award
• John Muir Award
• Duke of Edinburgh
Planned opportunities to have their
voice heard at local authority level on
their experiences in school and their
ideas, thoughts and opinions on how to
improve personal achievement.
• Pupil Focus Groups in Quality
Improvement Framework approaches
– e.g. Quality Improvement Reviews
• Young Voice of PKC 
• Pupil Council consultation
• MSYPs
• PK Youth Groups

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Priority Arena 3: Decision Making Groups - Space
Description
The third arena involves participation in many kinds of decision making groups. In committees, councils, and other groups, learners take
part in the everyday and more strategic decisions that steer and provide school-wide direction. 
In this arena, children and young people can address effectiveness and accountability to shape the culture, systems and processes of
schools and ELC settings. Learners engage in effective forms of intergenerational decision making, which is real, consistent, transparent,
systematic, and sustained.
Examples of Highly Effective Practice:
Participation Arena 3: Decision Making Groups
In Class In School Local Authority/National
Planned and regular opportunities in class
groups (peer groups, small groups, class
group, year group, subject groups), to share
views and opinions on class/school decision
making and to be given the opportunity to
take responsibility through initiating,
organising and leading activities, groups and
improvement. 
• Class Charter
• Timetabling decisions
• Class responsibility groups
• Enterprise groups
• Peer support, buddying, mentoring and
coaching
• Peer mediators
• Children’s Parliament 
At whole school level all children are given the opportunity
to have their voice heard, share their views, ask questions
and be involved in groups with responsibility for making
decisions. 
• Consultation on and contribution to creating, reviewing and
evaluating school policies, guidance, curriculum design
and approaches
• Leadership Groups for all children – child led groups, Pupil
Councils, Digital Group, Eco Schools Groups, Rights
Respecting Schools Groups, Diversity Champions
• Participate in Parent Council meetings
• School grounds and estates groups
• Leadership Roles across the school – House and School
Captains, Prefects, buddies, Librarians
• Promote participation in local and national groups
• Pupil Focus Groups for all children
• Manage budgets, fundraise, contribute ideas for spending
PEF and applying for grants 
Planned opportunities to have their voice
heard at local authority level on their
experiences in school and their ideas,
thoughts and opinions on how to improve
their school and local authority. 
• Involvement in recruitment of staff
• Pupil Focus Groups in Quality Improvement
Framework approaches – e.g. Quality
Improvement Reviews
• MSYPs – Scotland’s Youth Parliament
• Inclusion Ambassadors
• PK Youth Groups
• Champions Board 
• Young Voice of PKC
• Pupil Council consultation

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Participation Arena 4: Wider Community - Space
Description
The fourth arena is about working in partnership with other services, parents, carers, and the wider community. Through learner
participation, schools and ELC settings can reciprocally build links with the wider world and collaborate more deeply on new shared goals. 
Learners will experience and contribute to new intergenerational dialogues, helping to support learning, and attunement to the needs of
others within the wider community. These kinds of projects can lead to exchanges across the generations at local, national and global
levels. Initiatives addressing this arena may be developed by learners themselves or in a culture of collaboration with external agencies
and partners. 
Examples of Highly Effective Practice
Participation Arena 4: Connection with the Wider Community
In Class In School Local Authority/National
Regular and planned and meaningful opportunities
to share their voice about how to engage with the
community including individuals, groups,
organisations and businesses to enhance learning
experiences in class and their own individual
progress. 
• Planning learning visits to build connections with
local and wider community
• Planning to include family members, community
members, businesses, groups and agencies to
enhance learning experiences 
• Involvement in planning national and global links
and connections/partnerships
• Work placements
• CYPP voice
• Partnership working to meet the needs of all
learners 
Regular and planned involvement of children and
young people having a voice on school groups
linked with community members. 
• Parent Council, fundraising groups, community
councils, youth groups, clubs, charities, adult
learning groups 
Consultation and involvement in planning and
being a part of school links with local and wider
groups to extend learning experiences.
• Marine Scotland, Academy 9, local Community
Action groups, RHET, SSE, Robertson Group,
SDS, RHET, care homes
Planned opportunities to have their voice heard at
local authority level on their experiences in school
and their ideas, thoughts and opinions on how to
improve their school, local community and local
authority. 
• Pupil Focus Groups in Quality Improvement
Framework approaches – e.g. Quality
Improvement Reviews
• MYSPs
• Inclusion Ambassadors
• Young Voice of PKC
• Pupil Council consultation
• PK Youth Groups
• Champions Board

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Combined Arenas of Participation – Voice, Audience and Influence
Effective practice to promote the Voice of all children and young people.
In Class In School Local Authority/National
• Universal supports
• Targeted interventions/support
• Quality observations are recorded
• Choice in how to present information
• Communication boards / Print outs provided
• Using puppets
• Assistive Technology and apps
• Prompts
• Choice in how to share their voice
• Learning conversations
• Talking Mats
• Talking and Thinking Tubs and Voting
Sticks/Jars’ 
• How Good is Our School, How Good is Our Early Learning
and Childcare
• Youth Voice Toolkit
• CIRCLE Learner Participation – Seeking the Views of
Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs
• Gathering the Views of Children and Young People –
Highland Council
• Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant
Pledge
• Person centred planning tools
• Age-appropriate consultation – themes and methods of
gathering with suitable time allocated to complete
• Inclusive approaches planned – online or in person, small
group, individual, supported 
• Questions differentiated for different ages
• Choice of options for returning, gathering feedback from
learners 
• Age grouped Pupil Focus Groups taken
• Questions and topics differentiated for different age
levels
• Feedback gathered through surveys with suitable
time allocated to complete
• Options for returning, gathering feedback from
learners
• Youth Voice Toolkit
Effective practice to ensure the voice of children and young people is listened to and acted on. 
Audience Influence
• Relevant staff acknowledge they have heard the voice of children and young
people.
• Children and young people are aware of who wants to listen to their opinions and
why they want the opinions of young people. 
• They are aware of how their opinions will be used. 
• Children and young people know where their views/opinions are going next and
how they will be told about what happens in response. They know they will be
taken seriously.
• Staff record what actions are taken based on what we learn from the
views/opinions they have shared. 
• Feedback is given to staff/parents or carers on how children and young peoples’
views/opinions have been acted on. 
• Feedback is given to children and young people.

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Youth Voice of Perth and Kinross    
What are we aiming to do and why? 
To enable and encourage all children and young people’s voices to be heard and acted
upon, we are developing a local authority level participation community for children and
young people.   
This community will enable all children and young people’s voices to be heard, sharing their
thoughts, ideas, feedback and opinions.  Over time, the community will grow to include the
voice of all schools across Perth and Kinross.  It will develop and be shaped in response to
learner’s engagement, feedback and learning from pilot schools. 
The Youth Voice group will provide a platform for the participation of children and young
people to participate in discourse and decisions that affect them. Youth Voice activities will
involve gathering children and young people’s views in a representative way and taking
action as a result. 
Appendix 1

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Learner Participation Groups in Perth and Kinross 
PKC Inclusion Ambassadors
The Perth and Kinross Inclusion Ambassadors are a group of young people with additional
support needs. They share experiences of being a young person with additional support
needs in school in Perth and Kinross. We talk about what works well in school and what
would make things better. 
Inclusion Ambassador meetings are planned termly in two local management groups
currently and provide young people with the opportunity to provide feedback on what we
think about education for young people with additional support needs and how things could
be better. 
If you would like to start an Inclusion Ambassadors group in your local management group
please contact Jaclyn Meikle jmeikle@pkc.gov.uk 
Appendix 2

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Community Youth Groups
Youth workers and support workers work with local youth groups in the community. Perth
and Kinross Youth Strategy provides information on universal, specific, targeted and
intensive support services for young people in Perth and Kinross. 
There are 5 locality youth work providers delivering universal youth work services to young
people where they live. Breathe, Eastern Alliance (Strathmore Centre for Youth
Development (SCYD), Alyth Youth Partnership and Coupar Angus Youth Action Group
CAYAG) Logos, YMCA and Kythe. 
A number of youth groups for young people who have a specific need or who need specific
support are also available in Perth and Kinross. Targeted support is provided to young
people who have a high level of need and who have been referred from Children, Families
and Justice Services. The REACH (Resilient, Engaged, Achieving, Confident and Healthy)
team provide intensive support for young people aged 12 to 18 years who are having
difficulties within their home, school, or community and where accommodation away from
their family is being considered. 
Champions Boards
Youth workers in Perth and Kinross work with care experienced young people in all
secondary schools. Young people are provided with the opportunity to share their views,
plan and make decisions about matters affecting care experienced young people. 
Members of Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs)
MSYPs are young people aged 14 – 25 who are elected every two years to represent the
voice of young people in Perth and Kinross. They identify issues affecting young people in
Perth and Kinross and then work at a national level to drive forward change by meeting with
local and national decision makers, debating, campaigning, leading on projects and
developing policies and practices.

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Self-evaluation of Learner Participation Tools
Perth and Kinross Resources 
Learner Participation Rubrics Self-evaluation.pdf 
This Learner Participation Rubric can be used with children and young people to evaluate
their experiences of being involved in the four arenas of participation. 
Video of Rubric in use at Muthill Primary School. 
Resources from Education Scotland
Readiness Checklist
Self-assessment mapping tool
Learner Participation Planning Tool, Education Scotland 
Hart’s Ladder (see next page) is a helpful tool to evaluate the quality of the planned
opportunities to involve children and young people. 
Appendix 3

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3. Tokenism: Adults engineer the appearance of
giving children a voice, but only the appearance. Often
a small number of children are carefully selected. Their
inputs are received and applauded but only valued in
so far as they suit adult expectations. There is no
intention of learning from the children, and rarely any
genuine dialogue. Opinions offered by selected
children may then be falsely portrayed as
representative of children in general.
Hart’s Ladder Roger Hart’s ladder of participation (1992) is a useful tool to ensure that Learner Participation is valid and meaningful. The first
three steps are considered not to be fully engaging with youth voice. The following five steps evolve to fully integrate children and young people
in active learner participation. 
8. Child-initiated, shared decisions with
adults: Children initiate and lead projects, but
invite selected adults to share decision-
making, usually as equal partners, with shared
responsibility. 
6. Adult-initiated, shared decisions with
children: Adults initiate and lead projects, but invite
children to get involved, and share the decision-
making with them. 
4. Assigned, but informed: In adult-led activities,
children are given a specific role with a legitimate
purpose, which is properly explained to them, so
they understand how and why they are being
involved. 
2. Decoration: Adults use children as
entertainment or decoration at adult-dominated
events. The children’s input is generally controlled
by the adults, and their views are not heard at all.
An example is when children put on a public
display at an event, they do not understand the
meaning or intent of their involvement and have
had no say in organising it. 
1. Manipulation: Adults use children to advance
causes or projects that are primarily of interest
to themselves. Though adults may engineer the
appearance of giving children a voice, the
children may not understand the true purpose or
significance of the activity and are generally
expected to follow instructions. 
5. Consulted and informed: Children are consulted about
their potential involvement in adult-initiated activities. They are
informed in advance about how their input will be used, and
afterwards about the outcomes of the activity, including
decisions made by adults as a result. 
7. Child-initiated and directed: Children initiate and lead or direct a
project. Adults are often (but not always) involved in supporting roles,
such as logistical support (organising food and transport), technical
support, liaison, facilitation, mentoring and motivation.

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Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028
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Access resources on the PKC Children’s Rights (UNCRC), Learner Participation and Youth
Voice SharePoint  and in the EDMS Learner Participation channel of the Curriculum and
Pedagogy Team 
Learner participation in educational settings | Resources | Education Scotland 
Children's rights in Scotland | Resource Themes | Education Scotland 
Youth Voice Toolkit Education Scotland to support youth voice and consultation across
schools and communities 
Taking a children’s human rights approach: guidance, provides guidance and resources to
implement a children’s human rights approach. 
Decision-making: children and young people’s participation, sets out clear guidance on
learner participation in decision making
The Scottish Government’s Participation Framework describes different forms or levels of
participation to support the development of embedded approaches to considering children
and young people’s voice. 
Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge
Download our Youth Advocacy Toolkit - UNICEF UK
Children’s Rights, Skills and Knowledge Framework
Meaningful Participation and Engagement of Children and Young People Children in
Scotland’s Principles and Guideline
Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland
Resources
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All Council Services can offer a telephone translation facility.
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Scotland BSL website https://contactscotland-bsl.org