Disabled children and participation in the UK: reality or rhetoric?

In England, disabled children and young people are frequently denied their right to participate in decision-making arenas, despite a plethora of government policy and guidance encouraging their full involvement. There is evidence to suggest that despite an overall increase in the participation of children and young people, disabled children are much less likely than their peers to be engaged in decisions about their own lives, particularly those with complex needs or communication impairments (Sinclair and Franklin 2000; Sinclair 2004; Department of Health/Department for Education and Skills 2004; Cavet and Sloper 2004; Franklin and Sloper 2007; 2008). In addition, despite a growing body of literature examining the context, and the impact on children and young people, of participation, there is little reference to disabled children’s place within this. This chapter will start to address this gap.