Good practice principles
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) and Hub na nÓg have developed a set of good practice principles on how to engage with children and young people and ensure that their voices can make a difference or have an impact on decision-making, which are outlined below.
Good practice principles – engaging with children | |
Involve | children in decision-making from the start |
Seek | children’s blue sky thinking |
Avoid | giving children information that can limit their thinking |
Use | a strengths based approach, starting with children’s own experience and understanding |
Use | open consultation questions or easily understood survey questions developed by children |
Use | creative and age-appropriate methods |
Avoid | interpreting children’s view during the process |
Ensure | that children evaluate the process and that feedback is given to them on decisions made |
Good practice principles – ensuring impact | |
Ensure | that human and financial resources are in place |
Identify and name | how children views will be used |
Identify and name | how decisions that are taken will be fed back to children |
Report on | the views of children and avoid adult interpretations of their views |
Ensure | that children play a prominent role in presenting their own views at relevant events |
Good practice principles – engaging with children | |
Involve | children in decision-making from the start |
Seek | children’s blue sky thinking |
Avoid | giving children information that can limit their thinking |
Use | a strengths based approach, starting with children’s own experience and understanding |
Use | open consultation questions or easily understood survey questions developed by children |
Use | creative and age-appropriate methods |
Avoid | interpreting children’s view during the process |
Ensure | that children evaluate the process and that feedback is given to them on decisions made |
Good practice principles – ensuring impact | |
Ensure | that human and financial resources are in place |
Identify and name | how children views will be used |
Identify and name | how decisions that are taken will be fed back to children |
Report on | the views of children and avoid adult interpretations of their views |
Ensure | that children play a prominent role in presenting their own views at relevant events |


Contact Us
Hub na nÓg
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Block 1, Miesian Plaza,
50-58 Baggot Street Lower
Dublin 2
D02 XWI4
Phone: +353 86 3837320
Email: hubnanog@equality.gov.ie