Acomparative qualitative study titled Speak up! was conducted with children in eight European countries. The aims were to increase our knowledge about European children in vulnerable situations or with special needs and to elicit their views about their rights and what needs to be improved. The methodology of the project involved playing a children’s rights game and holding in-depth discussions in focus groups with children in vulnerable situations and with control groups. The vulnerable groups comprised children with disabilities, asylum-seeking children, children living in ‘urban pockets of poverty’, Roma children, Traveller children, children in juvenile justice institutions and children in care. The control groups were made up of children with mixed backgrounds from ordinary classes in regular school. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) all children have the right to be listened to, however many children, particularly children in vulnerable situations or with special needs, have very little experience of being listened to. They face discrimination due to disability, ethnic background or social disadvantage, as well as for being under 18 years old. The methodology of the Speak up! project shows that children in vulnerable situations or with special needs can take part in research and other activities where they communicate their experiences and suggest ideas for how to improve their situation in line with the UN CRC. Consultations need to be adapted to their specific circumstances and communication needs, and the children need to be able to trust the interviewer/moderator.