Adults are increasingly required to take account of children’s views. A cultural shift has taken place moving us away from an expectation that it is sufficient for adults to make important decisions on behalf of, and in the best interests of, children. Children are increasingly expected to participate in decision making. Schools, for example, play a role in helping children to develop the vocabulary and interpersonal skills which will help them build responsible relationships as well as participate in decision making. The National Curriculum includes the study of Personal, Social and Health Education which requires teachers to ‘encourage pupils to express and understand their feelings’. Expressing and understanding feelings has become recognised, therefore, as a key part of both emotional health and citizenship.

This shift in attitudes has come about partly due to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1983), and partly due to developments in the British legal system. Case law resulting from the hearing of Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority (1985), for example, established the concept of children’s ‘competence’ to make informed choices. In addition, The Children Act (1990) requires that social workers and the courts take account of the views of children when decisions are made which affect their lives. The requirement to listen to children has presented adults with the new challenge of finding ways to help even very young children to express their views and feelings. This is not as straightforward as it may seem because asking children direct questions is problematic. For very young children, language may be still developing, but even for those children with good verbal skills, ‘talking’ may not be their favoured method of communication, particularly in response to questions from adults. Even older children may find talking hard when adults are asking questions about difficult or upsetting topics.

Professionals working with children, such as psychologists, social workers and therapists have, over the years, studied ways in which adults can better understand young children’s thoughts, feelings and ideas. ‘Play’ has been recognised as much more than entertainment or diversion. It enables children to express their feelings and anxieties as they put themselves into imaginary roles. Play is also an important way through which children develop relationships and skills.

The use of ‘play’ as a method of facilitating communication with children was at one time thought of as a specialist skill used with emotionally damaged children. Although play therapy itself, with its roots in firmly in the field of psychotherapy remains a technique used by specialist workers, many of the concepts have filtered into more mainstream understanding about communicating with children. Play, along with therapies using music and art, allow the expression of deeper emotions which can be difficult to verbalise. Participation in therapies using play, art and music are not only about expression of deep or painful feelings, they are also about having fun. Recent research led by J. Carroll into children’s experience of ‘play therapy’ suggests that play can be both a way to express feelings and retell painful stories. It is also a source of fun facilitating talking about problems through diversion and relaxation and an important way in which relationships are built.

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