In 2015, the Government published the first National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making 2015 – 2020 (2015). It was a whole-of-government strategy, with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) having responsibility for policy leadership and support. The Strategy contained actions for all of Government as well as specific actions for relevant Government Departments and Agencies. An action plan was also published in 2015 to direct implementation of the Strategy over the first three-year period. Since then, three annual implementation reports have been published. In 2019, DCYA undertook a review of implementation and worked across government to develop an implementation plan for the remaining period of the Strategy. The Mid-Term Review and Phase Two Action Plan of the National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making, 2015-2020 reflected the infrastructure and progression of actions into the latter period of the Strategy. The Phase Two Action Plan sought to outline plans for further implementation and to set goals for progressive improvement in participatory practice across Government Departments and Agencies. Phase Two of the Strategy and Action Plan reflected the context of support available to Government Departments and Agencies with Hub na nÓg fully operational and having a broad impact across sectors through its training programmes and other supports.

The aim of this final review is to understand and document the progress made on each of the actions in the Strategy during its lifetime and to identify where further progress needs to be made. This review also outlines some examples of good practice demonstrated by Government Departments and Agencies in implementing actions under the Strategy and the Phase Two Action Plan.