Rethinking participation: Exploring children’s power relations and emotions in Child Protection Services

Abstract This conceptual article rethinks children’s participation in Child Protection Services (CPS) by foregrounding the relational, sociocultural, and emotional dimensions that shape how children participate in CPS processes. It critiques prevailing normative participation models, which are often grounded in Western, individualistic notions of autonomy and voice, for tending to prioritize verbal expression and formal decision-making while overlooking children’s everyday experiences and interdependent power relations. Drawing on insights from a qualitative study with Pakistani-Norwegian children in CPS, the article shows how factors such as bicultural identities, family obligations, and culturally bound notions of honour inform children’s choices to engage or disengage with CPS. Emotions are central, as feelings of guilt or shame can profoundly affect children’s willingness to speak or act. Rather than interpreting child participation as a static right or a linear “ladder” of engagement, the article advocates a relational and context-sensitive approach that acknowledges children’s evolving capacities, emotions, and sociocultural realities. It calls on practitioners to recognize the fluidity of power and the performative nature of emotions, and to adopt strategies that accommodate diverse modes of communication. Ultimately, expanding these understandings can make CPS more responsive, inclusive, and effective in safeguarding children’s wellbeing.