Hearing the child’s voice: a philosophical account

Abstract: Article 12 of the UNCRC gives the child the right to have their views on self-regarding matters taken seriously and weighted according to the child’s maturity. But it is not clear what such a right amounts to. This piece considers what it means to have a right to express views on such matters and what it means to have those views weighted, contrasting the child’s right with an adult’s right simply to make their own choices. It invites others to answer questions that arise from this philosophical exploration of the right to a ‘voice’.

Keywords: Article 12, voice, self-regarding, best interest, maturity, weight.

Article posted to Journal of the British Academy, volume 8, supplementary issue 4 (Multidisciplinary perspectives on the child’s voice in public policy).