In April 2021, the Participation framework: national framework for children and young people’s participation in decision-making was launched by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY).1 The framework aims to support departments, agencies, and organisations to improve their practice in listening to children and young people and giving them a voice in decision-making.

Policy context

The goal of the National Strategy on Children and Youth People’s Participation in Decision-Making 2015–20202 was to ensure that children and young people have a voice in their individual and collective everyday lives across the five national outcome areas set out in Better outcomes, brighter futures: the national policy framework for children and young people, 2014–2020.3 These outcomes were for children to be active and healthy; to be achieving in all areas of learning and development; to be safe and protected from harm; to enjoy economic security and opportunity; and to be connected, respected, and contributing. One of the key fundamentals of the strategy was an acknowledgement that children and young people are not ‘beings in becoming’ but ‘citizens of today’ with the right to be respected and heard during childhood, their teenage years, and in their transition to adulthood (p. v).2 The new framework is the latest in a series of developments to deliver on the strategy’s goal.

The strategy and framework are primarily aimed at children and young people under the age of 18, but also embrace the voice of young people in the transition to adulthood up to the age of 24. Both focus on the everyday lives of children and young people and the places and spaces in which they are entitled to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives. They are guided and influenced by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC); the European Union (EU) Charter of Fundamental Rights (for the strategy); the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (for the framework), and relevant national legislation (see Appendix 1 of the framework).4,5,6,1

Identifying a need

Following the introduction of the strategy and the activities of organisations, such as Hub na nÓg and Comhairle na nÓg, an increasing number of statutory and non-statutory stakeholders sought support and guidance from DCEDIY on how best to meet their obligations in this area. They required support and training on how to effectively consult with children and young people and how to involve them in decision-making. The framework sets out to meet this need.

Framework vision

The vision of the framework is ‘participation with purpose’, which means involving both the purpose (or objective) of the organisation and the children and young people in the decision-making. At its core, participation with purpose ensures ‘that when children and young people are involved in decision-making, their views are listened to, taken seriously and given due weight, with the intention that these views will influence the outcome or initiate change’ (p. 6).1

In addition to being a human right, the framework recognises that involving children and young people in decision-making results in more effective policies, services, programmes, facilities, learning approaches, clubs, cultural and sporting activities, and other initiatives.

Guidance

Children and young people’s participation in decision-making is defined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as:

…ongoing processes, which include information-sharing and dialogue between children and adults based on mutual respect, and in which children can learn how their views and those of adults are taken into account and shape the outcome of such processes. (p. 3)4

In this context, the framework provides guidance for stakeholders on a wide range of topics in how best to carry out these processes. For example, guidance on involving children and young people in decision-making at different levels within organisations and descriptions of the various structures that can be used. It also deals with issues such as how to ensure the involvement of seldom-heard children and young people and how to follow up on their views and give them feedback. A large proportion of the report is taken up with examples of good practice in the field.

Checklists and feedback forms

The framework provides three checklists (planning, evaluation, and everyday spaces) and a series of feedback forms for children and young people. The authors argue that these provide a simple but structured way to guide decision-makers in their use of the rights-based model and good practice principles, which are at the core of the framework (see Lundy model in Figure 1). They are tools that organisations can use to effectively plan, conduct, and evaluate their child and youth participation processes and initiatives. They also give children and young people a voice in decision-making in everyday spaces or settings.

Source: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (2021), p. 15

Figure 1: Lundy rights-based model of participation

Enabling factors

Four enabling factors that underpin the effective implementation of the framework are identified. Stakeholders need to ensure:

• Organisational buy-in
• Training and capacity building for decision-makers
• Resources (financial, human, time)
• Monitoring and evaluation.

Next steps

The framework should be a valuable resource for those working in the sector. It is to be complemented by training and support from Hub na nÓg; a new National Participation Office; and ongoing Government commitment to Comhairle na nÓg, which works on the inclusion of young people in decision-making at local and national level.

1   Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (2021) National framework for children and young people’s participation in decision-making. Dublin: Government of Ireland. https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/34379/

2   Department of Children and Youth Affairs (2015) National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making 2015–2020. Dublin: Government Publications.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/24612/

3   Department of Children and Youth Affairs (2019) Better outcomes, brighter futures: the national policy framework for children and young people, 2014–2020. Dublin: Stationery Office.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31853/

4   UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2009) General comment No. 12 (2009): The right of the child to be heard, 20 July 2009, CRC/C/GC/12. Geneva: United Nations. Available online at:
https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/AdvanceVersions/CRC-C-GC-12.pdf

5   European Union (2000) Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000/C 364/01). Brussels: European Union. Available online at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_en.pdf

6   UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2018) General Comment No. 7 (2018) on the participation of persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention, CRPD/C/GC/7. Geneva: United Nations. Available online at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/crpd/pages/gc.aspx