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Young Voices in Decision-making

Hub na nÓg is the national centre of excellence on giving children and young people a voice in decision-making. We support government departments, state agencies, public service and non-government organisations to give children and young people a voice on issues that affect their lives.

About Hub na nÓg View Participation Framework

How does Hub na nÓg support government & public service?

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Training & Development

Our training and development supports organisations to involve children and young people in decision-making in all aspects of their policy, planning, practice, services and culture.

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Consultations

View our library of previous consultations with children and young people on a wide range of policy, practice and legislative initiatives.

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Resources

Hub na nÓg supports good practice in children and young people’s participation in decision-making by creating resources and showcasing relevant resources created by other organisations.

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The National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making

Read the Framework in full herearrow-right

Have a question about child and youth participation or Hub na nÓg?

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Toolkits and Guidelines

Practical resources to help you to give children and young people a voice on issues that affect their lives, as well as guidelines to help you to create youth-friendly versions of your work.

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Library

Browse some of the recent publications added to our library.

Report on the Consultations with Young People for the Citizens Assembly on Drugs Use

In the years since the last Children’s Report, children’s lives in Ireland have undoubtedly changed significantly. As with the rest of the world, the Covid 19 pandemic hit children in Ireland hard.

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Poverty Takes Away the Right to Childhood: Children’s Perceptions of Poverty in Four EU Member States

In the years since the last Children’s Report, children’s lives in Ireland have undoubtedly changed significantly. As with the rest of the world, the Covid 19 pandemic hit children in Ireland hard.

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Report on Consultation with Young Carers

In the years since the last Children’s Report, children’s lives in Ireland have undoubtedly changed significantly. As with the rest of the world, the Covid 19 pandemic hit children in Ireland hard.

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Pieces of Us – A Children’s Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

In the years since the last Children’s Report, children’s lives in Ireland have undoubtedly changed significantly. As with the rest of the world, the Covid 19 pandemic hit children in Ireland hard.

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Report on the Consultations with Minority Ethnic Young People

In the years since the last Children’s Report, children’s lives in Ireland have undoubtedly changed significantly. As with the rest of the world, the Covid 19 pandemic hit children in Ireland hard.

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Children & Young people consultation Youth Friendly Report

Consultations with Children & Young People for the Family Justice Oversight Group

The Family Justice Oversight group, formed by Helen McEntee Minister for Justice, is currently developing a plan for the family justice system for Ireland.

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So, How was School Today?

Comhairle na nÓg National Executive developed this survey in response to Comhairle members, who identified their top issue as the need for young people to have a stronger say on what happens in the classroom.

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Our Work

Here are some examples of our work

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Implementation of the Participation Framework

Ireland was the first country in Europe to develop a strategy for child participation in decision-making. The National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making was developed by Hub na nÓg in association with Professor Laura Lundy and sets out clear guidance on how to ensure children and young people are included in decision-making at policy, planning, and everyday levels. The Hub supports the implementation of the Participation Framework through the provision of training, mentoring and advice.

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Online Module

Hub na nÓg is currently developing an online participation module, to be hosted on the Hub website. The module:

  • Will be grounded in the National Participation Framework, the Lundy Model of Participation and the UNCRC;
  • Will use the National Participation Framework and the Lundy Model of Participation as the cornerstone of the approach to consulting children and young people,
  • Will have a duration of approximately 3 hours and be divided into blocks for online delivery.
Online module learning

Consultations with Seldom-Heard Children and Young People

‘Seldom-heard’ is a term used to describe children and young people who have fewer opportunities and more obstacles in their lives. This includes, but is not confined to; babies, toddlers and children under the age of five, disabled children and young people, children and young people with neurodiversity, experiencing mental health issues, in care, in aftercare, from ethnic minorities, rural areas, disadvantaged areas, experiencing homelessness, young carers, children of prisoners, LGBTQI+ children and young people, quiet children and young people, aged-out unaccompanied minors and children and young people from other minority backgrounds. View our consultation reports in our resources section today.

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Innovation of Methodologies

Hub na nÓg is currently working with groups of key expert stakeholders to develop innovative methodologies for the participation of two seldom-heard groups in particular. These are:

  • The Early Years Working Group, which is currently assisting us in the development of an Early Years Toolkit, literature review and set of case studies.
  • The Disabilities Working Group, which is guiding the creation of a set of guidelines for policy makers and practitioners on the participation of disabled children and young people in decision-making.