This report details the findings from consultations with children and young people nominated by Traveller and Roma organisations as part of the development of a Traveller and Roma Education Strategy by the Department of Education.

A helpful tool designed specifically to measure the impact of child participation on children, adults, and policymaking.

Author: Government of Malta, UCC, Commissioner for Children

Here are some good practice tips to help you involve children from birth to 5 years in decision-making.

Author: Hub na nÓg, DCEDIY

How to listen to babies, toddlers and young children and involve them in decision-making on matters that affect them.

Author: Hub na nÓg, DCEDIY

This publication is an attempt to capture, celebrate and share ways of working, reflections, ideas, and challenges that have been part of the journey of many Creative Schools. The articles provide a snapshot of the hundreds of projects and programmes which have creatively raised children’s voices. Of course, consultation with children and young people has been a feature of arts in schools and arts in other places for a long time but the scale and reach of Creative schools since 2018 has given us this opportunity to bring together some examples of recent practice, which we offer to anyone with an interest in this area. 

Internationally, there has been a significant focus in policy and practice on the participation of children and young people in decisions that affect them, underpinned by respect for their rights under Article 12 of the UNCRC. While children’s participation has become a core focus for practice improvement in child welfare services, there is a dearth of practical examples of how participation is implemented in organisations. In this paper, we provide a reflective case study of participation in practice in the Youth Advocate Programme (YAP) in Ireland, a large non-profit child welfare organisation. YAP Ireland works with young people who are considered ‘high risk’ using a strength-based approach in a wraparound service that is family-driven and youth-guided. Drawing on qualitative interviews and focus groups with young people, parents, advocates, and staff and management, we describe and critically analyse YAP’s approach to participation. Critical factors in practice include a commitment to participation in policy, practice and culture at all levels of the organisation and scaffolding of participation by staff. Challenges include ensuring that participation principles are upheld consistently across the organisation and resourcing participation.

Youth-friendly version of the Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making: Action Plan 2024-2028.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a worldwide crisis, which had a significant impact on children’s lives. The effects were most damaging for children who were already living in disadvantaged circumstances (United Nations, 2020), with children from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds suffering the most (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2021). Using Ireland as a case study, the purpose of this research is to work collaboratively with children and young people to understand how a child rights-based approach can be embedded in decision-making in times of emergency.

The aim of this scoping document is to provide advice on approaching participative processes and initiatives in the most accessible and inclusive way possible.

The research in this report investigates whether the approaches that have been used to involve young people have been effective in meaningfully engaging them in decision-making processes. It also explores whether involving young people in decision making influences policies, shapes communities and impacts the lives of young participants

Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services sets out Ireland’s key policy ambitions for youth work and related services.

This paper considers children’s participation in CP legislative and policy frameworks of Bulgaria, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Serbia. It proceeds by detailing the extent to which children are heard and facilitated with access to participate in practice.

In this paper we detail and contextualise the collaborative participatory research process developed throughout the IMMERSE research project which maps the integration of migrant children in education in Europe.

This education strategy is specifically developed to meet the needs of the children, young people and adults from the Traveller and Roma communities with the aim of enhancing their education experience and success.

This report recounts further consultation with children which took place to help shape NCCA’s development of the new curriculum specification for Wellbeing with children from Stages 3 and 4 (Third to Sixth Classes) in four primary schools between April and June 2023.

How Barnardos involved children and young people who experienced childhood domestic violence and abuse in service and policy decision-making

The rights of children and young people have gained prominence over recent years, spanning a range of settings and domains. In particular, the importance of eliciting, listening to and acting on the voices and views of children and young people has featured strongly in a range of legislative and policy documents. Internationally, this rights-based focus is particularly informed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The views of children and young people on creating guidance documents for policy makers and those who facilitate the participation of disabled children and young people in decision making, with a particular focus on those who use augmentative or alternative communication.

In Brazil, Education of Rural Areas is a model which started with social movements and became a public policy with the aim of improving participation of people of rural areas in making decisions about the model of their education. Schools in that context need to improve access to scientific and technological knowledge, but ensuring that previous values and knowledge of the students about agroecology and sustainability are considered.

This literature review examines the available evidence concerning the participation of disabled children and young people in decision-making. This evidence is needed in order to inform the development of a toolkit on how to meaningfully and effectively involve disabled children and young people in the decision-making process and approach participative consultations and initiatives in the most accessible and inclusive way possible.

This article evaluates school meal policies in the UK and Ireland as a means to ensure the fulfilment of children’s right to food, as protected under international law. It adopts a comparative approach, assessing the varying strategies adopted across the two jurisdictions and their challenges. Whilst new developments, including the recent expansion of both hot meal provision in Ireland and universal free school meals in Wales and Scotland, are welcomed, the article argues that school meal policies across the UK and Ireland need to be radically rehauled if they are to make any headway in the realisation of children’s right to food.

Recent attempts to systematise the constitutional protection of children’s rights by creating constitutional typologies have been a useful first step in theorising this growing field. These efforts have focused on the wording of constitutions rather than their application, while forms of constitutional protection that are less textually explicit and more difficult to detect have received limited attention. By exploring the constitutional protection of children’s rights in France, this article demonstrates that some constitutions poor in explicit provisions on children’s rights can provide valuable protection through their general provisions. The article further argues that constitutional typologies of children’s rights protection should be expanded to encompass non-liberal constitutions.

Europe’s Forgotten Children: Roma children and their families in Europe 2000 – 2020 – a  child rights perspective, outlines gaps in health, education, protection and welfare indicators that still exist between Roma and non-Roma children across Europe.

All About Me Sensory Checklist – Passport for Accessible and Autism Friendly Public Services

Author: AsIAm

This visual guide template is to help improve the accessibility of your event for children and young people.

Author: AsIAm

This is the second report produced as part of the RITEC project. The first report, produced in 2022, explored the question: what does well-being mean to children in a digital age? This first-phase report is also available for download.

Beyond Limits is the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) event for children and young people with disabilities and their families. It aims to show them the opportunities open to them, talk about the issues they want to talk about, and highlight inclusiveness. With Beyond Limits, we want to show how a fully inclusive event can be the rule and not the exception.

This chapter discusses current practice and opportunities to strengthen evidence-based approaches to policymaking and service delivery for children and young people in Ireland. It analyses capacity among government departments and agencies to collect, utilise and share evidence that is disaggregated by age and other identity factors and coordinate research within the framework of the Children and Young People (CYP) Indicator Set, with a focus on mapping the needs of vulnerable groups of children and young people. It also discusses the collection of evidence through involving children, young people, and civil society in policymaking, as well as the development of regulatory impact assessments to anticipate child and youth outcomes ex ante.

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

This Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making: Action Plan 2024-2028 is the second national plan to support children and young people to participate in decision-making.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and Hub na nÓg established an Early Years Working Group (EYWG) during 2021 to develop guidance for consulting with children and babies aged birth to 5 years. The EYWG was comprised of stakeholders from the policy, academic, creative, and early learning, and care sectors with expertise in the area. The remit of the EYWG was to consider existing research and resources on the participation of children and babies aged birth to 5 years in participation in decision-making and identify gaps in addition to piloting methodologies that enable the participation of young children in decision-making.

In the Programme for Government ‘Our Shared Future’ and in the Housing for All Housing Plan to 2030), the Government committed to developing a Youth Homelessness Strategy.

The key points to check before engaging with young people in decision-making.

Author: Scottish Youth Parliament

This resource should be used alongside the AIM The Right Way resource.

Author: Scottish Youth Parliament

This research explores the perceptions of 125 primary school students (ages 8–12) in two Educate Together schools in Ireland.

Policy agendas currently shape the identity of childhood and children’s role in society. They guide the development and delivery of children’s services across all domains of their life, including health, education and social welfare.

This article draws upon three studies which critically examined the concept of participation and children’s decision making in pre-court and custody and resettlement settings.

This report considers the participation of our youngest citizens from birth to 5 years and how this can be embedded in early childhood education and care in Ireland. Limitations of existing research have been highlighted by Correia et al. (2019) who state that there was no systematic review mapping international empirical research on young children’s right to participate in ECEC settings. Even that systematic review focuses on 3–6-year-olds and does not include very young children, nor did it include children with special needs. This literature review explores issues relating to what Cassidy et al (2022) describe as a complex, challenging and under researched area. It is understood that there is no such thing as children’s ‘voice’, rather children have a multiplicity of voices and these can be accessed in a variety of ways (O’Toole and Hayes, 2020). Given this understanding, practices need to be developed to support children’s participation from the earliest age. The aim of this literature review, then, is to provide policymakers and early years educators with a synthesis of the existing research in the field, allowing for a deeper understanding of current thinking with a comprehensive evidence-base on participation-related ideas, practices and outcomes in early years, highlighting state of the art and informing possible pathways to move the field forward.

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.

Providing information and resources to support public authorities and other organisations to implement a children’s human rights approach.

Author: Scottish Government

2024

The purpose of this guidance is to provide information and resources to support public authorities and other organisations to implement a children’s human rights approach.

The paper questions whether existing understanding of children’s participation in early childhood education may extend beyond what is required by the UN Convention 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.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) undertook a series of consultations with children and young people to secure their views on the implementation of children’s rights in Ireland.

This handbook is for professionals working for and with children.

Author: Dr A. Crowley, Prof. C. Larkins, & L M Pinto

The strategies in this tool can be used by adults working on an individual basis with a young child for a specific purpose.

Author: Highland Child Protection Committee & Care and Learning Alliance

This guidance provides a new definition of learner participation for Scottish education (ages 3-18).

Author: Education Scotland

Providing guidance, practical advice and useful sign-posting to government departments and agencies.

Author: National Participation Office, DCEDIY

2023

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.

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.

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.

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.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), ratified by Ireland in 1992, sets out the rights of children and young people up to the age of 18 and forms the basis for the vision in Young Ireland.

This paper explores how and where children can participate in decision making, with a focus on policies and practices in OECD education systems. It outlines key considerations for child participation, including barriers that many systems are struggling to overcome.

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.

This policy framework will build on the achievements of the National Strategy for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making 2015-2020 (The Strategy).

Designed to provide specific and measurable indicators.

Author: Council of Europe

In this report, Eurochild presents the results of conversations with children from Malta, Bulgaria, Croatia and Estonia on child poverty.

The Education Act, 1998 provides for the establishment of student councils, intending them to play an integral and important role in the school community.

This article highlights the problems faced by the Court and explains why, in addition to the reforms above, it is vital that the Court be overhauled both to address its effectiveness as the central agency in the youth justice system.

A study on the legal and non-legal measures of implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 12 countries other than the UK.

This Report forms part of the Commissions Third Programme of Law Reform and follows the publication in 2009 of a Consultation Paper on Children and the Law: Medical Treatment.

This research highlighted a widespread stereotyping of young people in a range of arenas. The research concluded that the young people interviewed saw their institutional relationships with adults as for the most part unequal, troubled and rooted in stereotypical ideas about their attributes and abilities.

A study of young people in residential care and their experiences of education 

Ireland’s second periodic report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child as per the requirements under Article 44 of the Convention.

The NCCA designed a portraiture study to develop portraits of children’s experiences of early learning and development in a range of settings in Ireland.

The aim of the research is the identification and evaluation of models of good practice for consulting children and young people experiencing poverty or other forms of social exclusion in relation to public policy developments affecting them.

The Arts Council’s strategic approach has a dual focus on supporting artists and arts organisations and on seeking to increase public engagement and participation in the arts.

These guidelines have been compiled by the Arts Council in collaboration with the arts sector and the Health Service Executive (Information and Advice Persons).

A proposed policy and action plan for the period of the third arts plan. 

An act to make provision in the interests of the common good for the education of every person in the state.

This paper proposes how to give effect to the 2004 OMC “Young Voices: Guidelines on how to Involve Children and Young People in Your Work” recommendations.

An investigation behind the concepts, motivations and perceptions of parents and educators in relation to school readiness and school starting age.

This report details the current legal protection that exists for children in Ireland as well as the gaps that remain in the recognition of their rights.

Key findings and recommendations from a study on children and young people’s participation in planning meetings concerning their school attendance.

This article argues for a situational perspective of children’s participation to act in the child’s best interest.

The aim of this study was to describe and capture the meaning of children’s perspective on their right to participate in decision-making.

This leaflet outlines a set of agreed standards for the participation of children and young people participating in decision-making processes in Wales.

Guide developed to help CIDA staff and development partners to incorporate child participation results into CIDA programmes.

Global Study analysing the role of independent human rights institutions.

Statement by the European Network of Ombudpersons for Children urging States in Europe to implement Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Webpage containing links to resolutions by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

This paper aims to explore present thinking and experience on childhood and children and in light of these insights identify the most constructive future directions for policy.

This issue explores perspectives on participation from experiences in Africa and seeks to elucidate key insights and lessons and raise further questions for debate.

This special issue results from an international research symposium, held in 2006 to discuss papers addressing the theme of Children and Young People as Social Actors.

“Why Don’t We?” is designed to be used in an informal environment by both young people and youth work practitioners. Many of the activities and reflective exercises are action based and require participation by all members of the group (both adults and young people).

Survey carried out by Eurochild on children in alternative care 2nd edition.

This publication examines key social justice issues related to the inclusion and recognition of difference in the primary school.

The rights of children living in residential institutions’ Recommendation Rec(2005)5 (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 16 March 2005

A research project to explore how children’s rights are respected in law across the different countries who are members of the ChildWatch International Research Group

A nation is democratic to the extent that its citizens are involved, particularly at the community level. The confidence and competence to be involved must be gradually acquired through practice.

Reigional Policy

Website of the AYF

This article provides a children’s rights critique of the concept of ‘pupil voice’. The analysis is founded on Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which gives children the right to have their views given due weight.

Recommendation by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to Member States, encouraging them to promote participation by children in decisions affecting them.

General Comment published by the Committee on the Rights of the Child to encourage States parties to establish an independent human rights institution for the promotion and monitoring of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This General Comment outlines the general measures States parties must take to secure the full and effective implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This General Comment focuses on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in the context of early childhood.

The book explores the historical and theoretical background to Article Twelve of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and examines the various models of participation which have been created to facilitate a better understanding of this provision.

This book, published by Otago University Press, is an account of a Childwatch International collaborative international study about the meaning of citizenship to children – how they view their status and membership in society through notions of identity,

The goal of the project is to increase the respect of human rights of children deprived of liberty.

In this report, IPRT highlights the rights and needs of children and families affected by imprisonment in Ireland.

In 2002, a group of people got together to better understand and find ways that kids could be more involved in making decisions that affect them.

This guide looks at a range of issues and practicalities that should be considered when undertaking a research project with children

This handbook will help groups reflect and take stock of how effectively kids are being included in their work, activities and decision-making processes.

Explores the challenges faced by researchers to undertake ethical research with children.

This study explores the experiences of children and young people who have participated in participation initiatives held by the DCYA.

The main aim of this research is to explore young people’s experiences of participating in their care reviews.

Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on the General Comment on the Rights of Adolescents.

Hear by right: Setting standards for active involvement of young people in democracy.

This article describes changes in conventions among social scientists undertaking research with children and young people over the last decade

This research aims to contribute to the development of National Child Well-being Indicators, a key action under the National Children’s Strategy.

Children’s issues have become a greater priority on political agendas since the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Children’s issues have become a greater priority on political agendas since the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This paper argues that ethical problems in research involving direct contact with children can be overcome by using a participatory approach.

Guide for children and young people on giving consent.

The article reflects on a body of work with children as co-researchers and as participants.

Video documenting the views and experiences of professionals working with and on behalf of children in the justice system.

Short clip for children on their right to be heard in the context of judicial proceedings.

Veronica Yates talks to Children’s Rights Policy Officer about the new Third Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This general comment seeks to highlight the importance of rest, leisure and play for chidren’s well-being and development.

This General Comment considers the relationship between State obligations regarding children’s rights and the business sector.

Towards 2016 develops a new framework to address key social challenges, which individuals in Ireland face at each stage of life, including a dedicated section on the needs of children.

This review, undertaken by the Children’s Rights Alliance, in collaboration with our members, looks back at the ten years of the Strategy and assesses whether it has delivered on its objectives

This article describes and analyses the process used by Barnardos in developing and implementing a participatory approach in a children’s IT project in Galway City, Ireland.

The Adolescent Friendly Quality Assessment Tools [AFQuATs] are designed to provide a method for health service providers and planners to assess the quality of services for young people in relation to adolescent friendly quality standards.

This strategy will build on the existing work undertaken and documented on service user involvement in health. This strategy has been developed to ensure a systematic and consistent approach to service user involvement across the health and social services.

The government wants children and young people to have more opportunities to get involved in the design, provision and evaluation of policies and services that affect them or which they use. Actively involving children will produce better services.

This document responds to Frequently Asked Questions that NYCI receives on the inclusion of cultural and minority ethnic young people and leaders in youth work.

A list of children’s rights governments must take to help children exercise set out in the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This is a guide developed by the UK National Youth Agency to enable organisations working with children and young people to develop best practice on the safe, sound and sustainable participation of children and young people in the services and activities

This recommendation makes reference to Member states fostering the role of non-governmental organisations and youth organisations in education for democratic citizenship and human rights education, to include the UNCRC, especially in non-formal education.

Youth-friendly resources from DCI’s International Campaign for Inclusive Education.

This document is the product of a literature review, fieldwork in India, Kenya and Ecuador and discussion with various practitioners and academics working on children’s participation.

This article reviews some of the areas of consensus and debate during the symposium in Oslo on “Children’s Participation in Community Settings” and evaluates the complex question: how can participation be evaluated in ways that will encourage best practices.

To improve the lives of children and adolescents it is necessary to find out about their circumstances, their needs, and the services they require to meet their needs.

Researching Children’s Experience provides examples of how researchers from a variety of social science perspectives have set about carrying out research into children’s experience.

The Board of the Childwatch International Research Network approved the establishment of a new Thematic Study Group to undertake an international scoping project entitled Building Capacity for Ethical Research with Children and Young People.

The case studies presented in this book describe pioneering examples of where children are given a voice. This book is part of Eurochild’s contribution to the 2010 European Year

Regional policy detailing strategic approaches at all governance levels on the eradication of children living on the streets and the promotion of their rights.

The transition of young people to adult life can be a very unequal process: while some benefit from new opportunities, others experience vulnerability and exclusion.

This General Comment pertains to the rights of indigenous children under the Convention, which specifically deals with Article 12 rights under paragraphs 37-39 of the General Comment.

The Report of the consultation with young people concerning on harmful internet communications including cyberbullying

This charter is an instrument that young people can use to encourage local authorities to implement policies concerning them, as well as a tool for co-operation between young people, youth organisations, and local and regional authorities.

The affirmation of the right of children to participate is one of the guiding principles and most progressive innovations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

The programme was created because human rights education (HRE) – meaning educational programmes and activities that focus on promoting equality in human dignity – was, and remains, of incalculable value in shaping a dimension of democratic citizenship for all young people and in promoting a culture of universal human rights.

A youth-friendly list of internationally recognised rights applicable to young people worldwide.

The resource booklet contains a series of help and advice around important skills that you may need to be involved in governance and decisionmaking.

This guide is for Save the Children staff and partners who are involved in advocacy. You can use it as a general advocacy resource.

This publication outlines and examines all the models of participation and empowerment from Arnstein’s ‘Ladder of Citizen Participation’

This report provides feedback to children who took part in the consultations for developing EveryChild’s conceptual framework.

Groups of young people supported by Plan, who engage with school authorities, the media, national development organisations and the United Nations to advocate for child rights.

The fifth meeting of the Forum provided the opportunity to discuss how to move forward on the EU strategy on the Rights of the Child.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international human rights instruments recognize the right of the child to respect for the child’s human dignity and physical integrity and equal protection under the law.

The present report focuses on children who have been victims, witnesses or parties in judicial proceedings.

Experiences of conducting focus groups with young people as part of a participatory approach to research design and participant recruitment.

This general comment provides guidance and support to States parties and other duty-bearers to support them in respecting, protecting and fulfilling children’s right to enjoyment to the highest attainable standard of health.

This general comment provides guidance and assistance to States parties in their efforts to implement the rights of children with disabilities in a comprehensive manner which covers all provisions of the Convention.

The goal of this research is to give a voice to children and young people in the context of housing estate regeneration.

The Framework focuses on children and young people’s individual and collective participation in decision-making.

This model provides a pathway to help conceptualise Article 12 of the
UNCRC.

This report aims to give local authorities a brief introduction to their duties under the Child Poverty Act, and in particular, provides further information on how to involve children and young people in work on poverty.

Using cases from Nepal and UK, the ‘Changescape’ structures the conditions that determine whether evidence from children participating in evaluation is utilised by decision-makers to shape services and inform strategic processes.

Children’s Geographies is an international peer-reviewed journal that publishes leading edge research and scholarship engaging with and advancing geographical and spatial perspectives on children, young people and families.

Children & Society is an international, interdisciplinary journal publishing high quality research and debate on all aspects of childhood and policies and services for children and young people.

This report is a comparative overview of youth participation in Germany and Finland. The project was launched in November 2007 as a bilateral cooperation initiative by the Finnish Ministry of Education and the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ).

The Government is committed to a coherent strategy for social inclusion based on the lifecycle approach set out in the national partnership agreement towards 2016

This issue of the UNICEF Innocenti Digest examines the role and functions of exisiting Ombudsmen and Commissioners for Children and their success in protecting and promoting children’s rights.

An act to extend the functions of vocational education committees in relation to youth work, to provide for the making of grants in respect of youth work, to provide for the appointment of an assessor of youth work and his or her functions under the act.

The revised Charter advocates adequate support and commitment to the implementation of youth participation policies and practices

The aims of the research were to determine what young Irish people do in their free time and what are the barriers and supports they experience and their aspirations with regard to recreation and leisure.

The aim of this study was to document activity in statutory and non-statutory organisations that enables participation by children and young people (under the age of 18) in decision-making that affects their lives.

In 2007, the Minister for Children announced that his Office would consult with teenagers on alcohol misuse. The consultations were designed to explore how young people themselves view teenage drinking.

The aim of The Agenda is to assist policy-makers, managers and front-line practitioners to engage in reflective practice.

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

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.

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.

Chuaigh an Roinn Leanaí, Comhionannais, Míchumais, Lánpháirtíochta agus Óige (DCEDIY) i gcomhairle le leanaí agus daoine óga chun a gcuid tuairimí maidir le cearta leanaí in Éirinn a chloisteáil.

The HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) in conjunction with the DCEDIY and the National Participation Office undertook a consultation with young people on skin cancer prevention behaviours in 2021.

Review of child participation in Finland based on the Framework for the policy review process of the Council of Europe policy review on child and youth participation 2010-2011

This report presents the case for children’s participation in climate change negotiations and makes recommendations for their involvement.

The Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) promotes the rights and welfare of children and young people under 18 years of age living in Ireland.

This recommendation is aimed at member states adopting legislation and policies to provide enabling structures to mitigate the effects of autism spectrum disorder and to facilitate the social integration, & improve the living conditions.

This paper explores a range of options to better support the care and protection of children at risk of separation from their families or needing substitute care. It aims to move beyond the critique of residential care provided in A Last Resort.

The articles in the preeminent International Journal of Children’s Rights reflect the perspectives of a broad range of disciplines and contribute to a greater understanding of children

The survey explored how children’s participation rights are respected in post-separation decision-making in international family law contexts, including a focus on the legislative mechanisms and on the factors that facilitated, or hindered, children’s parents.

Childhood is a major international peer reviewed journal and a forum for research relating to children in global society.

This guide provides 10 tips to help legal professionals involve children in family justice processes so that they and their families are better served.

This report presents the findings of a Forum for Young People in Care established by the Irish Association of Young People in Care (now EPIC) and HSE Dublin North.

Editorial from a Special Issue of Children’s Geographies on developing rights-based methodolgies.

A report of the results of a national consultation of children and young people conducted by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Health to help inform the development of the new national strategy to combat obesity.

Children and young people’s participation in public decision-making is now firmly on international and national agendas. This article concludes the special issue on such participation, by discussing three central issues for children.

The studies discussed here suggest that face-to-face engagement between rights-holders and duty-bearers holds a distinctive place among participative methods.

This paper discusses the practical reasons for the disjuncture between the rhetoric and the practice of promoting children’s participation, including participation being a means to an end versus an end itself.

These guidelines are aimed at assisting researchers who are thinking about involving children and young people in their work. The guidelines provide practical advice to the researcher on how to involve children and young people through all stages.

The manual provides a step-by-step guide for young people carrying out a research project and the accompanying workbook is designed to complement the training by suggesting practical tasks to support the research process.

TUSLA have come up with an approach to participation to make sure that children’s views are taken into account in decisions that affect them.

The Committee considered the second periodic report of Ireland (CRC/C/IRL/2) at its 1182nd and 1184th meetings (see CRC/C/SR1182 and 1184), held on 20 September 2006, and adopted at its 1199th meeting, held on 29 September 2006 its concluding observations

This report presents the findings of the second phase of FRA’s fieldwork research on child-friendly justice.

The Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) promotes the rights and welfare of children and young people under 18 years of age living in Ireland.

This narrative literature review focuses on the opportunities of young people to participate, the challenges and facilitators to participation, and the outcomes of care related to participation.

This toolkit has been developed through a collaborative process involving a number of Tusla staff­ and managers, key stakeholders, community voluntary groups, and young people.

This study aimed to investigate the association between participation in organized youth sport and adult healthy lifestyle habits.

This article revisits the concept and practice of tokenism in collective child participation, querying whether it is accurate to describe it as ‘non-participation’ and assessing the extent to which it may offer a useful and sometimes necessary step on the journey to more respectful and meaningful engagement with children.

This paper draws upon research undertaken in Scotland but the findings of the study are relevant across the UK and beyond.

This article describes a child-centred method for engaging with children involved in the child protection and welfare system.

This project was undertaken in response to a request from the Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) to undertake a review which would assist the Social Services Inspectorate to prepare for the inspection of children’s residential centres for children.

This lecture examines the significance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child for modern education policy. Articles 28 and 29 of the Convention, which aims pertain to education rights, are analysed against the four guiding principles.

This paper conceptualizes the specific roles that adults provide and the complex interactions between youth and adults that emerge within youth participation efforts.

Compliance with the values recognized in article 29 (1) of the UNCRC, which sets down the aims of education, clearly requires that schools be child-friendly in the fullest sense of the term and that they be consistent in all respects.

Twenty-four children (aged 5 months to 18 years) who were admitted to a university hospital were observed for a total of 135 hours with the aim of describing their degree of participation in decisions concerning their own care.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether 3 adolescents diagnosed with cancer within the previous 3 to 6 months and between 13 and 15 years of age were capable of providing data directly regarding decision making. 

This paper critiques the research literature from between 1993 and 2007 on children’s, parents and healthcare professionals’ experiences of children’s participation in consultations and decision-making within the Irish healthcare setting. 

The purpose of this study is to review the research evidence for effects, positive or negative, of participation on health outcomes for children in care. A scoping review of major health and social work research databases was undertaken. 

This report documents effective ways to promote young people’s meaningful participation in receiving health care services and/or basic information as a person in their own right and in a non-judgemental manner within a global context. 

This is a report on the views, hopes and fears of young people, North and South, and is the outcome of a unique cross-border conference

This General Comment outlines the right of young people to express views freely and have them duly taken into account (art. 12) which is fundamental in realising adolescents’ right to health and development.

This report is based on a consultation with disabled children and young people in London in 2000. It focuses on the methods and processes of carrying out such a consultation-consent issues, how to structure consultation sessions and tools used. 

“Take My Hand” report highlights young people’s experiences of, and perspectives on mental health services.

This paper outlines findings in relation to participation standards in HIQA foster care, residential care and special care inspection reports over a two-year period from 2013 to 2015.

The Innocenti Digest on Promoting the Rights of children with disabilities. 

This recommendation aims to promote the deinstitutionalisation of children with disabilities and their life in the community.

This paper describes the development and validation of the Youth/Young Adult Voice at the Agency Level (Y-VAL), an assessment of the extent to which agencies have implemented best practices for supporting meaningful participation.

When children and young people’s involvement in research is increasingly the norm, this article reflects on the importance of a well-reasoned and transparent justification for their inclusion or exclusion

Exploring the challenges to youth work in capturing the voices of young people in a meaningful way within Meitheal and the Child and Family Support Networks model.

This document provides a common framework to guide government and civil society to promote the meaningful participation of children in South Africa.

Reviewing the national and international literature on the participation of seldom heard young people and to identify best practice principles in the field.

This study provides a context to the provision and policy of Irish youth work. It identified that over 43,000 young people participated in youth work groups across Ireland.

This article describes the origins, development and contents of the Irish National Children’s Strategy, noting the links to the wider imperative of social inclusion.

The purpose of this article is to share examples of how practitioners working in Ireland’s child protection and welfare services implement these concepts in practice

UNICEF was a co-convenor of this 10th-anniversary strategic review of the issues raised in the landmark 1996 Machel study on the impacts of conflict on children, which aims to serve as an advocacy and policy tool on children and armed conflict.

A report commissioned by the Scottish Government to explore the impact children and young people’s participation has had on policy-making in Scotland.

Youth in Europe are politically engaged and having their say at the local level in many fields of democracy

This paper explores participation, by young people who have experienced violence, in policy and practice developments.

This study portrays patterns of children’s participation in public policymaking and characterize various adults’ reactions to children’s participation.

The main objective of the intervention programme is to measurably improve the lives of children (pre-birth to six years) and families.

A consultation with young people on the reform of the Junior Cycle took place in November 2010.

This report publishes the findings of conducting a consultation process with children in the care of the State.

Better Outcomes Brighter Futures is the first overarching national children’s policy framework for children and young people aged 0-24.

This report documents a whole-of-government strategy, with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs having responsibility for policy leadership & support.

When appropriate, juvenile or family specialised courts and criminal procedures should be established for child victims of violence. This could include the establishment of specialized units within the police, the judiciary and the prosecutor’s office.

Article 12 of the Convention allows for a well-informed expression of views and wishes of unaccompanied minors, as it is imperative that such children are provided with all relevant information concerning, for example, their entitlements, services available.

This paper reports the findings from a study of the participation of children with special educational needs (SEN) in decision-making about their needs in a sample of mainstream schools which were self-selected for having promising practices.

This publication aims to promote knowledge on the care system in a child-friendly manner, including a child’s rights as a young person in care and how to effectively communicate with professionals in order to empower the child.

The education pack, which forms the basis of the SCREAM programme, is made up of 14 educational modules and a User’s Guide.

Children deprived of their liberty and placed in detention are at extreme risk of violence

The Committee discussed the theme “The private sector as service provider and its role in implementing Child Rights”.

The Minimum Standards on Consulting with Children were developed to facilitate and support the participation of children in formal consultations

This booklet shows how to put children’s participation into practice. It is for everyone in roles of public leadership and service, answering questions about how and when children’s participation is needed.

This toolkit of good practice has been designed to offer advice, ideas and guidance for involving children in consultations.

The Book “Participation – Spice It Up!” is packed full of practical tools and ideas for engaging children and young people.

This is a study of how children and young people face violence all over the world and what can be done to stop it. 

A child-friendly art-therapy workbook designed to help children to learn about the types of violence faced by children throughout the world and give them.

This strategy recognises that children have an innate dignity as human beings; enrich the quality of all our lives; are especially vulnerable; thrive through the love and support of a family life; should be supported to explore, enjoy and develop their varied talents; and need help to learn responsibility as they grow towards adulthood and full citizenship.

This report details the findings of consultations with young people on Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs).

This is a summary of the initiative to develop and implement a planning model for national and local interagency working to improve outcomes for children.

Child participation is enshrined in these guidelines in the context of children who come into conflict with the law, e.g. the right to be notified of the charges; the right to confront and cross-examine witnesses etc. which is afforded by basic procedural

The actions initiated in the first year of implementation have focused on the lives of LGBTI+ young people across a range of sectors.

In this Report, we set out our vision of what it means to be an active citizen – and how individuals might be supported and encouraged to be active citizens. This is a big task – and we don’t pretend to have all the answers.

This General Comment, like all, must be read in conjunction with Article 12, one of the four guiding principles of the Convention, which enshrines the child’s right to be heard.

This comparative review reports on the outcomes of a phase 1 of a research project being undertaken by the Child Law Clinic at University College Cork that will examine the effectiveness of arrangements for ascertaining the views of children in private family law proceedings in Ireland.

The objective of this research was to conduct a systematic review of systematic reviews related to Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as it relates to children and young people involved with child welfare agencies.

This form enables individual children and young people to evaluate meetings and other engagements with adult decision-makers.

This form enables children and young people to evaluate face-to-face meetings or consultations.

This form enables children and young people to evaluate online meetings, consultations, surveys and other activities.

A tool for self-evaluation and external evaluation to be used by departments, agencies and organisations.

Gives guidance to adults on listening to children and young people and giving them a voice in decision-making in everyday spaces.

Gives guidance to departments, agencies and organisations on listening to children and young people.

This article focuses on micro-and meso-level interactions and their importance to experiences of belonging and socio-educational integration for migrant children. It explores outcomes from qualitative research in Ireland conducted as part of a European research project investigating the socio-educational integration of refugee and migrant children in schools.

This report, Life as a Child and Young Person in Ireland: Report of a National Consultation, documents the views of 66,705 children and young people.

The aim should be to create an atmosphere in which children feel comfortable, respected and valued, and that they belong.

Author: Dr Michelle Templeton and Prof Laura Lundy

If it’s friendly for the adults, it should be friendly for the kids. And if it’s friendly for the kids,it will also be more friendly for the adults.

Author: Professor Laura Lundy

The Tusla Child and Youth Participation Toolkit is a ‘quick reference’ document to support skilled practice.

Author: Dr. Celia Keenaghan and Dr. Sue Redmond

This is a toolkit for organisations who want children and young people’s participation to move from rhetoric to reality.

Author: NSW Commission for Children and Young People

This review generated inclusive strategies in planning public playspaces, which could support local policymakers in this complex multi-layered process.

This report sets out the key findings and overall messages from a series of consultations with young people about the impact of drug use on their lives, their families and communities that took place during the period November 2022 – March 2023.

Children aged 3–5 years are at an incredibly important stage of their life. Within the last decade they have been increasingly prioritised within Irish policy

During 2010, the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) conducted a consultation process with children living in the care of the State.

A consultation with young people on the reform of the Junior Cycle took place in November 2010.

Life skills matter – not just points is an important milestone in children and young people having a voice on issues that affect their lives.

A manual for practitioners on how to include ‘seldom-heard’ children and
young people in organisations and events.

Author: Olivia McEvoy

The Toolkit has been developed to support the work of those who organise and run the 31 Comhairlí na nÓg throughout the country.

Author: DCEDIY (formerly DCYA)

In the summer of 2020, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, working with the Department of Health and the youth sector, collaborated with SpunOut.ie

In this scoping review, we aim to analyze guidelines and identify strategies for supporting children’s participation rights when planning public playspaces.

Designing opportunities for play in the built environment is crucial to support children’s health and development. A growing research focus on child-friendly environments has evidenced a shift toward creating spaces and buildings that take children’s needs seriously and work with children as capable experts and active collaborators. Yet, limited attention has focused on how different scholars conceptualise and operationalise research on understanding and designing opportunities for play in the built environment. This paper reports on the findings of a scoping review of peer-reviewed empirical literature (51 publications) from 1994 to 2019.

Children’s well-being and children’s right to participation are important concepts for those striving to improve children’s lives. Recent years have brought growing conceptual recognition that children’s rights, particularly children’s right to participation, are part of their well-being. However, these two concepts have been addressed separately, especially in research, as they are seen as two different goals of children’s lives.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) undertook a series of consultations with children and young people to secure their views on the implementation of children’s rights in Ireland.

A national event took place in Croke Park, Dublin on the 20th November 2014. With 500 young people and Youth workers from around Ireland (members of Comhairle na nÓg), the Taoiseach, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

How can human rights for children born outside their national jurisdiction with parents deemed as terrorists be safeguarded? In what ways do children risk being discriminated in their welfare rights in Sweden when treated as invisible part of a family? How can we do research on children’s rights in not just ethically sensitive ways but also with respect for children as rights subjects? And what could be a theory on social justice for children? These are questions discussed in studies from different disciplines concerning children’s international human rights, with a special focus on the realization of the CRC in Sweden.

Díríonn an Creat ar rannpháirtíocht aonair agus chomhchoiteann leanaí agus daoine óga sa chinnteoireacht.

Soláthraíonn an tsamhail seo conair chun cuidiú le coincheapú a dhéanamh ar Airteagal 12 de Chonradh na Gaeilge.

Tugann sé treoir do ranna, gníomhaireachtaí agus eagraíochtaí maidir le héisteacht le leanaí agus le daoine óga.

Tugann sé treoir maidir le héisteacht le leanaí agus le daoine óga agus le guth a thabhairt dóibh i gcinnteoireacht i spásanna laethúla.

Uirlis le haghaidh féinmheastóireachta agus meastóireachta seachtraí le húsáid ag ranna, gníomhaireachtaí agus eagraíochtaí.

Cuireann an fhoirm seo ar chumas leanaí aonair agus daoine óga measúnú a dhéanamh ar chruinnithe le cinnteoirí fásta.

Cuireann an fhoirm seo ar chumas leanaí agus daoine óga cruinnithe nó comhairliúcháin duine le duine a mheas.

Uirlis le haghaidh féinmheastóireachta agus meastóireachta seachtraí le húsáid ag ranna, gníomhaireachtaí agus eagraíochtaí.

There has been an increasing focus on developing policy in the area of after-school care in Ireland in the past two years.

Webpage with links to caselaw of European Court of Human Rights on children’s rights.

This Report forms part of the Commission’s Fourth Programme of Law Reform. It arises against the reality that we live in a truly interconnected digital and online world.

The Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge have been coproduced by a short-life working group.

EPIC invited the participation of children and young people with disabilities who are, or have been in care, with whom they work. The study was structured to ensure appropriate levels of support and accountability, and to allow the meaningful participation of the children and young people.

The relationship between children’s human rights to protection and to what is commonly referred to as ‘participation’ has received significant attention

Protecting the rights of the child is at the core of the Council of Europe’s mission to safeguard human rights, uphold democracy and preserve the rule of law.

A guide to advancing children’s rights, and develop or guide the development of child-friendly information.

Author: Save the Children

This report presents the findings of the consultations with young carers from across Ireland.

Since the escalation of conflict in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, more than 1,000 children have been killed or injured in the country.

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.

A 3-year strategy working towards ending homelessness for young people aged 18-24 through prevention and exits; and improving the experience of young people accessing emergency accommodation.

New research from UNICEF Innocenti and Western Sydney University explores the question: what does well-being mean to children in a digital age? This first-phase report prioritises the voices of children, collected through workshops with over 300 children from 13 countries along with analysis of existing survey data from 34,000 children aged 9-17 across 30 countries.

This report presents the findings of the consultations with young people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

This Report represents a big step forward towards delivering the world’s first Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex+ (LGBTI+) National Youth Strategy

Teachers invariably want to do right by children in their classrooms. Increasingly, this means listening to children and acting on their views. Listening to “student voice” and incorporating children’s views about education in classroom and school decision making is important if we want to encourage authentic forms of belonging, wellbeing, learning, and achievement that really matter to children

This report details the findings of consultations with children and young people to inform the drafting of adoption regulations that will set out how the Adoption Authority of Ireland or Court will hear the views of the child in his or her adoption order hearings.

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, and the full impact of public health restrictions on their education, health and mental health, family and other personal relationships is still largely unknown and emerging.

Children’s participation is essential to achieve good outcomes for children involved in child protection systems. Despite this, research has consistently found children report low levels of participation, are poorly consulted and feel inadequately involved in decisions about their lives. To explore how practitioners understand children’s participation, 18 in-depth interviews were conducted with statutory child protection practitioners in Australia.

How children and young people were involved in research analysing youth creative participation and engagement

These instructions will ensure children’s views are listened to and considered in every aspect of The Ark and beyond!

Participation is the active involvement of children and young people in decision-making regarding issues that affect their lives

How Involve Youth Project involves Traveller children and young people in decision-making in their day-to-day programmes and activities.

How the Irish Secondary Students Union (ISSU) involved young people in the development of a charter for inclusive schools.

How a family support service listens to and acts on the views of children during their engagement in a family support programme.

How Jigsaw involved young people in an online youth mental health event ‘Youth Talk, We Listen’

How young people from were involved in developing key messages for adults who deliver services to children and young people.

How Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership involved children in a lunchtime and after-school garden project in a primary school.

Report on the development of a collection of good practice case studies on children and young people’s participation in decision-making.

How the Irish Wheelchair Association involves young people in day-to-day decision-making in its young adult services.

How a primary school teacher ensures that children are given a voice in decision-making on what happens in the classroom every day.

This research aimed to evaluate young children’s engagement, participation and inclusion within a city museum by utilising observations and semi structured interviews with children and families.

No Filter – A survey of children’s experience of the Covid-19 pandemic was carried out by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) in conjunction with Amárach Research. No Filter was an online survey open to children between the ages of 9-17 years in Ireland. A small number of students aged 18 and over who are still in school also completed the survey.

Special issue on the theme of eliciting the voice of children from birth to seven.

This summary report presents key messages that young people have identified as key experiences and priority concerns during the pandemic since November 2020.

This qualitative study described the decision-making experiences of children, parents and therapists in occupational therapy.

The quantitative study and analysis highlights different aspects like play and mobility range, open space visitation, activities of children.

This article draws on data from IMMERSE which uses participatory and co-creation methodologies with children, parents, educators and policy-makers.

This research aimed to evaluate young children’s This article compares democratic participation research in Scottish schools over a 10-year period.

Serves to ensure quality child participation in ‘all processes in which a child or children are heard and participate’.

Author: Save the Children

This systematic literature review aimed to investigate children’s views of children’s rights, at a broad level.

Youth First focused on creating safe and interactive spaces in cyberspace for young people during the pandemic.

COVID-19 reveals the vital role of human rights education (HRE) in combatting racial discrimination and safeguarding youth civil rights.

This document has been created to meet the needs of student councils at all levels – from those starting from scratch, to those who wish to just improve their functioning, and those who have a proven track record of affecting change in their school community Created by students, we hope this is a useful resource for your student council and helps you to further student voice in your school community. Further resources, including action plans on specific issues, “off-the-shelf campaigns and student resources are available on the ISSU website.

The aim of the article is to champion and celebrate School Councils in Northern Ireland and identify ways to support and enhance their work.

The Voice of the Child project was initiated by The Genesis Programme under Louth LEADER Partnership’s ABC Programme and funded by CYPSC.