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Children's participation is a popular rallying cry among child rights activists and community development groups, backed by the recognition of children's participatory rights in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Participation is both a guiding principle of the UNCRC and an explicit right. Article 12 establishes the right of children (who are capable of forming their own views) to express them freely in all matters affecting the children, and for their views to be given due weight, in accordance with age and maturity. In South Africa, children's participatory rights are recognised in the Children's Act, the Child Justice Act and, in a more circumscribed way, the South African Schools Act.

• Opening up dialogue with children and youth can add to research and support participation. • Young people's advisory groups contribute a valuable ethical dimension to research practice. • Institutional ethics requirements can create challenges for ethical practice with children and youth. • Young people and adults may have differing expectations of the role and process of advisory groups. • Virtual communications can facilitate dialogue, but have limitations in the Global South. Nearly thirty years ago, the world recognised the participation rights of children with the adoption by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Since then childhood researchers in the Global South and Global North have been at the forefront of promoting these rights. The increased involvement of children and youth in research has challenged 'traditional' adult research practices in numerous ways. This article explores the role and contributions of Child and Youth Advisory Committees (CYACs) in the research process. It discusses the establishment of CYACs and how they supported the International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP). The ICCRP began as a three-year multi-country research project addressing children's rights to participation and protection and monitoring this connection internationally within several Global South and North countries: Brazil, Canada, China and South Africa. This article describes the creation and functioning of the ICCRP CYACs and the strengths, challenges, and creative processes in implementation. Findings presented relate to ethics regulation, differing expectations and assumptions about CYAC involvement, and virtual communication. These are discussed with the inclusion of adult researchers' and the CYAC members' perspectives. The article shares lessons learned about the role and significance of dialogue to support other child and youth advisory bodies in research at the local and global levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]