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Children and Young People's Participation Strategy

The Children and Young People's Participation Strategy (PDF, 1.1 MB) incorporates a vision and framework for the participation of children and young people in decision making.

The strategy enhances opportunities for a child or young person to overcome barriers and have a voice, as involvement in decisions that affect their lives is a fundamental right for all children.

The strategy was developed with input from external stakeholder, including consultation with young people selected by the CREATE Foundation and young people involved with the Out Loud group in Townsville.

Listening, hearing and acting

Approaches to the participation of children and young people in decision making - a review of the literature

In May 2006, the department commissioned a review of relevant work of other Australian jurisdictions, literature and research to identify models of engagement and participation that have been demonstrated to be successful in relation to:

  • case planning and ongoing intervention
  • provision of feedback on service delivery
  • engagement in service planning processes
  • engagement in the development of policy and procedures
  • collecting data about participation for evaluation and service review processes
  • models of peer to peer research and facilitation.

The commissioning brief highlighted the requirement to identify where models are appropriate or specific to particular age groups or subsets of children and young people within the service system including those who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, those from culturally diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities.

This paper, Listening, hearing and acting (PDF, 1 MB), reports on the outcomes of the literature review.

Below are a list of the useful websites and tool kits identified in the review.

Websites

Tool kits

NSW Commission for Children and Young People

Ministry of Social Development (New Zealand)

Barnardos (United Kingdom)

  • Say it your own way: children's participation in assessment (2006) - a printed guide and CD-ROM of practical resources to give children a voice in assessment processes. Must be purchased.
  • Taking part toolkit: promoting the real participation of children and young people (2002) - a range of reports, resources and tools. Must be purchased.

Children's Rights Alliance for England

  • Ready steady change (2005) - a comprehensive set of training and tools to increase children's and young people's participation in decision-making. Consists of two training handbooks one to increase the skills knowledge and confidence of children and young people (aged 17 and under) and the other to increase the skills knowledge and confidence of those working with children and young people. Must be purchased.

National Youth Council of Ireland

  • Hearing young voices (2003) - guidelines for consulting with children and young people in relation to developing public policy and services. Available for download.

Save the Children (United Kingdom)

Children's Rights Officers and Advocates (United Kingdom)

  • Total respect 2 (2000) - training resource for introducing listening, hearing and participation into an organisation. It is designed to be delivered by young people and adults to a mix of front-line workers and managers. A train the trainer resource is also available that prepares young people and adults for co-training. Must be purchased.
  • Training young people for active participation - training resource designed to give young people the confidence and skills to be active co-workers in service development and delivery. Must be purchased.