Centre hosts lecture on 'The Lundy Model of Child Participation'

On 7 March the Centre welcomed the renowned academics, Professor Laura Lundy (Queens University, Belfast) and Professor Anne Barlow (University of Exeter), who, with the Centre’s Deputy Director, Dr Jan Ewing, spoke on 'The Lundy Model of Child Participation'.

Professor Lundy’s paper, "'Voice' is not enough" is one of the most highly cited articles ever on children’s rights and the model of children’s participation it proposes (based on four key concepts - Space, Voice, Audience and Influence) is used extensively in scholarship and practice. Professor Lundy began by outlining the model. Professor Barlow and Dr Ewing then summarised the findings of a recent Wellcome Centre funded project, the HeaRT project. Dr Ewing considered how child inclusive mediation when parents separate, as currently practised in England and Wales, measures against Prof. Lundy’s model. Prof. Barlow then outlined the mental health and well-being benefits for young people who are given space, voice, audience and influence in decision making when parents separate.

The hybrid event attracted academics, mediators, family law solicitors, judges and students from across the world. The drinks and canapes’ reception that followed for in-person attendees was an opportunity for Cambridge Family Law students to network with leading family law practitioners from Cambridgeshire.