Empower Kids (Barnardos) Case Study
How Barnardos involved children and young people who experienced childhood domestic violence and abuse in service and policy decision-making
Report of Two Pilot Studies Exploring Approaches and Methods to Involve Babies, Toddlers, and Young Children in Participation 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.
Student Participation in Irish Primary Schools
This research explores the perceptions of 125 primary school students (ages 8–12) in two Educate Together schools in Ireland.
A Literature Review on Methodologies for Consulting with Children Aged Birth to 5 Years
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.
An Audit of Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making
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.
Young Voices in Sport Toolkit
Toolkit for Involving Young Members in Decision-Making
Author: Sport Ireland
Children’s Participation in Decision-making
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.
Is the honeymoon over? Children and young people’s participation in public decision-making
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.
From rhetoric to practice: Bridging the gap between what we believe and what we do
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.
Analysis of Youth Creative Participation (LCYP Laois Offaly)
How children and young people were involved in research analysing youth creative participation and engagement