Publication of a Toolkit for including children from birth to 5 years in participation in decision-making

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth today welcomes the launch of a toolkit for including children from birth to 5 years in decision-making. The toolkit has been published by Hub na nÓg, the national centre of excellence and coordination in children and young people’s participation in decision making, which is an initiative of the Department of Children Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The toolkit provides guidance on how to listen to babies, toddlers and young children and involve them in decision-making on matters that affect their lives. It contains guidance, advice and examples of good practice on involving children in decision-making for professionals and practitioners who work with babies, toddlers and children under the age of five.

The toolkit is based on the National Framework on the Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making, which uses the Committee on the Rights of the Child nine principles of quality child participation.

It is informed by examples of the ways that babies, toddlers and young children took part in decision-making, with good practice examples included in the document. These examples are based on interviews with early years educators, professionals and other adults who work with children.

It is also informed by a literature review on methodologies for consulting children from birth to five years that was overseen by an Early Years Working Group, made up of early years educators and specialists.

The toolkit is intended to be a useful resource for all adults who work with and support young children – early years educators, healthcare professionals, Junior Infants teachers, social workers, parents, childminders, organisations that provide sports, dance, gym and other classes to children and in any other place or space where adults work directly with babies, toddlers and young children.

Hub na nÓg will host an eLearning session on the 10th of December which will present a comprehensive review of the Literature and Practice that has informed the development of this toolkit. Registration details are available here.