In Britain, as children's rights to citizenship have strengthened over recent years, a strong presumption in favour of involving children in decisions on matters that directly affect them has developed in a number of areas of law, public policy and professional practice (for example, school councils). Yet surprisingly little is known about how far children's participation extends to their home lives and the routine business of everyday life. A recent study, based on group discussions and in-depth interviews with 117 children aged between eight and ten, examined how and to what extent the children were involved in shaping their own and their families' domestic lives.

Many of the findings were illuminating. The ways in which families made decisions involved a subtle, complex and dynamic set of processes in which children could exert a decisive influence. Most families operated democratically, but children accepted the ultimate authority of their parents, provided that they felt their parents acted 'fairly'. For children, "fairness" had more to do with being treated equitably than simply having the decision made in their favour. Children could use claims of fairness as a moral lever in negotiations with parents. Family precedent, especially that set by older brothers and sisters, was an influential factor in 'good decision-making' and was a more common point of reference than the experience of peers and other families.