Child Abuse & Neglect 26 (2002) 833–835 Spotlight on Practice Editorial: listening to children David P.H. Jones Park Hospital for Children, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LQ, UK Two very different articles are brought together for this month’s Spotlight on Practice. They are unified by a fundamental concern with how professionals may hear and respond to children most effectively. One reviews the literature concerning the participation of children who are in the public care (Cashmore, 2002). The second is a laboratory based study of children’s eye witness memory 4 years after a staged event, but crucially also examining the capacity of adults to appreciate and make decisions about such memories (Goodman, Batterman-Faunce, Schaaf, & Kenney, 2002). Cashmore (2002) outlines the reasons why children and young people in the public care should be involved and have some say in the decisions that are made about them. She reviews policy developments in this area, as well as research concerning the participation of children in the public care, and particularly their understanding and involvement in the processes and decisions which affect them. She examines law, policy, and recent official guidance in the UK, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. She links the overall initiatives specifically with the situation affecting children in the public care. These children are a particularly vulnerable group, whose voices have so often not been listened to in the past. Recent inquiries, in the UK, have underlined how important it is to do so, however. Methods of seeking the views and experiences of children in public care are therefore fundamental in protecting them from harm. Cashmore stresses that children learn by example and by practice. It has been found that if children do not believe that their experiences or choices matter, then they are less inclined to voice their views. They need practice at doing so, with demonstrable consequences and then participation becomes progressively more meaningful. Cashmore explores how to con- vert good intentions into practice, and examines ways of accessing the views and experiences of children. It remains difficult to find effective ways of reaching those who do not normally feel comfortable communicating, or those who are less articulate and may be perhaps emotion- ally disturbed, or who have disability or communication difference. However, it is only then that principles will be accompanied by changes in attitudes, awareness, and specific skills in 0145-2134/02/$ – see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII:S0145-2134(02)00352-6