On 1 July 2025, a participatory discussion took place at MSH SUD – Saint-Charles Site (Montpellier), bringing together researchers and practitioners to reflect on how social intervention and research can shift perspectives to genuinely engage with children’s agency.

The seminar, titled Intervention sociale et agentivité des enfants: Comment renverser la perspective pour mener des recherches participatives avec les enfants?, featured contributions from Mónica María Bermúdez Grajales, John Jairo Mateus Arbelaez and Enrico Diego Mandirola (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia), alongside Virginie Poujol (Léris). The event was attended both in person and online, enabling a rich and diverse exchange of experiences.

Throughout the discussion, speakers explored what it means to practice intersectional, decolonial and non adult-centred approaches in social work and research with children. Drawing on concrete experiences from participatory projects in Colombia, the seminar highlighted how children can be positioned not as objects of study, but as central actors in knowledge production and social intervention.

A key focus of the conversation was the need to challenge dominant adult-centred norms and methodologies, questioning how power relations shape research processes and outcomes. Participants reflected on the ethical, methodological and political implications of conducting research with children, emphasizing the importance of creating spaces that recognise children’s voices, experiences and capacities for action.

The seminar concluded with an open exchange among participants, reinforcing the value of participatory dialogue for rethinking professional practices and advancing more just and inclusive forms of research and intervention.

We thank all those who joined the discussion in Montpellier and online, and extend our sincere appreciation to the speakers for sharing their insights, experiences and commitment to children’s agency.