Dr. Karen McAuley:

It is terminology, but it is the implications of that terminology because what it does, inadvertently or otherwise, is potentially restrict a child's right to be heard and place limitations on it. That is not appropriate from a children's rights point of view. As a person one has a right to be heard, and not a right to be heard where practicable. The only limit is if one does not wish to be heard, which is an entirely different thing.