From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth 

Published on 12 April 2024

Last updated on 12 April 2024

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, today published the Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making Action Plan 2024-2028 .

This Action Plan builds on the ambition and achievements of the first National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making and aims to further promote the inclusion of children and young people in decision making at all levels – in the home, in school, in their communities and at national level.

The successful implementation of this Action Plan will, in the short term, result in the views of children and young people being harnessed to inform policy, services, legislation and research that is relevant to their lives. Their views will also be sought in evaluation and monitoring of relevant services and policies.

This Participation Action Plan will drive continued development of participation structures and practice, at local, national and international level, among organisations, sectors, practitioners and government departments and agencies. Through the implementation of these actions, and by using and enhancing existing resources and supports, DCEDIY will continue to innovate and lead the participation of children and young people in decision making across government and internationally.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister O’Gorman said:

“Ireland is a world leader in participation practices, being the first country in Europe to have a dedicated Participation Strategy for Children and Young People. I am pleased to be able to further progress this important focus with the publication of this Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making: Action Plan 2024-2028.

The ambitions of this Action Plan will see the voices of children and young people embedded in decisions made across more Government Departments and Agencies than ever before. Public policy can only be improved in the recognition of children and young people as citizens of today, not just adults of the future.”

The Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making: Action Plan 2024-2028 is available in both English and Irish, and is supported by the publication of a Report on the Public Consultation on the next Government Policy Framework for the Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making .

Notes:

This Participation Action Plan will drive continued development of participation structures and practice, at local, national and international level, among organisations, sectors, practitioners and government departments and agencies. Through the implementation of these actions, and by using and enhancing existing resources and supports, DCEDIY will continue to innovate and lead the participation of children and young people in decision making across government and internationally.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Children (UNCRC) articulates the right of children and young people up to the age of 18 to have their voice heard, and this age group is the predominant focus of this Action Plan. The Government also recognises that young people in the age group 18-24 may have specific difficulties accessing their rights, including their right to have their voice heard in decision making processes. Therefore, the Action Plan includes young people up to the age of 24, which, according to the most recent Census data, amounts to a third of the population.

Many government departments and agencies have already enhanced their policies by including children and young people in their policy development processes. This includes those departments and agencies with responsibility for policy research, legislation and service provision relating to children and young people’s:

• health

• education

• transport

• for climate action

• rural life

• arts and culture

• play and recreation

• life in care

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) has supported many of these processes. Through Hub na nÓg, the national centre for excellence on child and youth participation, and the National Participation Office, through focussed consultations and engagement with Comhairle na nÓg, the nationwide youth council structure supported by DCEDIY and Local Authorities, support, expertise and practical assistance has been provided. Most recently the National Youth Assembly of Ireland has been established to provide a forum for consultation and discussion with children and young people aged 12-24, on issues of national importance.

Hub na nÓg provides methodological expertise and training through structured training programmes that involve assessment of need and tailored modules across government and non-government sectors. In 2023 the first tailored training for Civil and Public servants was developed and delivered, aimed at building capacity to meaningfully engage with children and young people when national policy decisions that will impact their lives are being taken. A significant ambition of this Action Plan is to embed structured rights based online training in participation principles and practice across all professions working with and for children, at academic, policy and practice level.

The first National Strategy on the Participation of Children and Young People 2015-2020 was published in 2015. The Participation Strategy was ground breaking in Ireland and was the first of its kind in Europe. It was also the first constituent strategy of Better Outcomes Brighter Futures (BOBF) the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020), embracing the five outcome areas of that strategy

• Active and Healthy

• Achieving in Learning and Development

• Safe and Protected from Harm

• Economic Security and Opportunity

• Connected, Respected and Contributing to their World

These outcome areas have been carried forward into the Young Ireland: National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2023-2028 and also guide the focus of this Participation Action Plan.

Fundamental principles of the Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-Making: Action Plan 2023-2028.

All commitments and actions in this Action Plan are underpinned by the following key fundamentals:

• Recognition that children and young people have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives;

• Ensuring the protection and welfare of children and young people in accordance with Children First ;

• Establishing and improving mechanisms to ensure the participation of seldom-heard and vulnerable children and young people in decision-making;

• Collection of data, monitoring and evaluation of children and young people’s participation initiatives.