While hospital doctors using skateboards to travel between wards mayseem crazy to most people, to children's participation expert CarolyneWillow it makes perfect sense.
Willow says of this suggestion, made by a young patient during aconsultation into hospital improvements: "It is sending a seriousmessage to doctors that they need to be more fun and communicate betterwith children."
After 22 years' running children's participation projects, and as a keyfigure in Government-backed support service Participation Works, Willowis bullish about the importance of giving children a stronger voice.
"Participation helps everyone to engage more with children and involvethem in decisions. To dismiss their views as fantastical isunderestimating them," she says.
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