While there is some learner and family participation at school or class levels, the evidence shows their participation at policy level is limited. Participation at this level must be genuine and not tokenistic. It should actively include the many individuals who have not yet been able to influence policy-level decisions that affect them, their peers, their schools and their communities.

Meaningful participation means recognising and including learner and family voices as equal and integral to discussions across all system levels. This involves ensuring active agency and shared power to initiate ideas and influence decisions.

Learners and families rarely influence the educational decisions that directly affect their lives, even if they are given opportunities to share their opinions in their classrooms and communities.

Voices into Action explores ways to develop a more participatory approach to educational decision-making, with learners and families at the centre.

Inclusive education policy and practice activities that use labelling and terminology linked to special needs underpinned by a medical approach, with separate provision for different groups, are not in line with the rights-based approach to inclusive education systems, which focuses on the barriers within the system.