What's happening?

In the UK, 21% of people are under 18, the voting age. That means they have no say in how the country is run.

It is something one person is trying to change. Children's CommissionerA public official in England responsible for protecting the rights of children as set out in UN conventions and other human rights' conventions. Dame Rachel de Souza sent a surveyWhen you ask a group of people questions about what they think about a particular topic. called the Big Ambition to 22,500 schools across England to find out what they really think.

Unsurprisingly, 78% said they are not being listened to by those who run the country.

That is why some think the time has come for young people should have their own role in public life.

We probably do not want to go back to the days when children worked on farms or in factories. But it is worth reflecting on whether we have swung too far towards treating them differently from adults.

These days we exclude children from elections on the basis that they do not know enough to be trusted with a vote.

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But, some point out, many adults do not know anything either - and yet they can still vote.

Some say that all adults should vote because they are affected by politicians' choices. But children are also affected by these choices - for example, on how schools should be run.

Do young people's views matter?

Yes! Young people are just as affected by how the country is run as adults. Even if we do not give children the vote, we should make sure their voices are heard. They are the adults of the future.

No! Children do not have enough knowledge or maturity to make decisions on how a country is run. They are represented by their parents.