Why is it important to involve children and young people in decision making?
Legislation like the United Nations Rights of the Child (1989), Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and Children (Scotland) Act 2020 emphasise the expectation to include children and young people in a meaningful way in decision making about their life.
Currently, the Scottish Government is seeking to pass the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill which would seek to have the United Nations Rights of the Child incorporated through Scots law. Government commitments such as Getting it Right for Every Child and The Promise, and Glasgow’s Every Child is Included and Supported (2016) stress the importance of using meaningful ways to gather views of children and young people.
In addition to legislation and policy, there are other reasons why it’s important to include children and young people in decision making, including:
To find more acceptable and feasible solutions: By seeking their views, they are able to provide information that may lead to a solution or identify possible supports; or can exclude identified strategies which may not be likely to work for them.
Creates an expectation that their voice matters: Studies have shown that engaging young people in decision making increases their sense of responsibility, and their belief in having control over aspects of their life. Involving children and young people in a meaningful way, provides them with opportunities to practice decision making for later in life.
Increased self-confidence, sense of belonging and trust: Studies have shown that children have an increased sense of belonging and trust in the adults around them when involved in decision-making about their life. A sense of belonging and trust are essential components to feeling safe and nurtured.
The best ethical practice is to include a person in decisions affecting them
We wouldn’t think twice about asking an adult for their view on their life. It would be disrespectful and unethical to do otherwise. Though our methods and approach may need to be adapted, involving children and young people ensures respectful and ethical practice.
Background to this guidance
A research team from Glasgow Educational Psychology Services (GEPS) conducted a needs analysis in 2022/23 which showed a wide range of practice in relation to how children and young people were involved in decision-making. The information gathered included surveys completed by stakeholders (staff from establishments across sectors, educational psychologists, JST referral data, a group young people’s experiences). The data pointed to a need for updating guidance to include a more in-depth overview of approaches to support accessing the views of all children and young people, irrespective of age and developmental stage.
The team were keen to take a collaborative approach by co-creating the guidance together with a group of young people. To do this, the team worked collaboratively with the Career Ready programme and 5 young people were identified that were in relevant work placements. Their roles involved being both participants, by sharing their own views, and co-researchers by learning research skills which would allow them to collaboratively plan and conduct research within the group and in their own schools.
Work with education staff and young people to co-create guidance and supporting materials is ongoing and this page will continue to be updated.
What do we mean by meaningful involvement in decision-making?
Children and young people’s involvement in decision-making is defined 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.”[1]
It also requires an understanding of:
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- how to involve children & young people in decision-making, including the involvement of seldom-heard voices.
- how to follow-up and give feedback to children and young people
- how to be realistic with them.
This does not mean believing that children and young people are the only experts on their own lives – adults also have expertise in children and young people’s lives, and it is this combined expertise that will enable better decisions to be made.
Meaningfully involving children and young people, doesn’t mean allowing them to do things that are harmful or unsafe or that violate their other rights. Children and young people’s right to have their views given due weight may need to be balanced with their right to be protected from harm.
Glasgow’s Principles Of Meaningful Involvement Of Children And Young People In Decision-Making
We co-created 9 principles with our group of young researchers that should guide how children and young people are involved in decision-making. These were drawn from literature, UNCRC principles[2] and our young researcher views.
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- Respect – all involvement should be underpinned by mutual respect.
- Transparent and informative
- Inclusion of all voices/ non-discriminatory – being flexible in how to involve everyone
- Equality of power – co-design and collaboration and relevance
- Confidentiality and being safe and sensitive to risk
- Advocacy support/having an advocate
- Safe place
- Commitment and accountability– willingness to listen, understand and take action and feedback
- Being understanding towards pupils – also consider individual circumstance and home life factors.
How do we meaningfully involve children and young people in decision making?
The Lundy Model[3], provides a pathway to help conceptualise Article 12 of the UNCRC. It focuses on four elements: SPACE, VOICE, AUDIENCE, and INFLUENCE. It provides the steps to take to give children and young people a meaningful voice in decision-making. The visual of the Lundy Model and key questions below are taken from the Irish Participation Framework/Hub Na nÓg, whilst the key considerations have been co-created with the young people for the local Glasgow context. Practice guided by these considerations and key questions may look different dependent on the contexts, aims and children’s developmental stage.
SPACE
Key questions:
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- How can children and young people feel safe to express their views?
- Have you allowed enough time to listen to and hear their views?
- How do you make sure that all children and young people are heard?
Key considerations for individual planning:
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- Have scheduled meetings one on one
- Build a relationships & trust before bringing a concern up with me.
- Gain trust, and don’t invade my privacy before trust is built.
- Ensure confidentiality, unless you’re concerned about safety.
- Use a gentle, welcoming tone of voice with me.
Key considerations for whole school planning:
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- Create a safe space for expressing views. This might be by using an anonymous survey, within class, ensuring young people are surrounded by people they are comfortable talking to and don’t mind sharing opinions with.
- Give relevant information to help and inform our decision making.
- Involve and listen to groups who are most affected.
- Make sure everyone feels included, valued and is treated with equal respect. If involving some young people more than others, then explain the reasons for this.
VOICE
Key Questions:
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- How are children and young people provided with the support they need to give their views and be heard?
- How can they raise the things that matter to them?
- How are they offered different ways of giving their views?
Key considerations for individual planning:
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- Ways to support expression of views:
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- Noting my thoughts or feelings in a jotter for looking back at anytime
- One to one conversations
- Third party advocate not in family or school
- Activity based conversations can help me feel more open to express or show how I am feeling, rather than just tell you how I feel. It can help me deepen thoughts and feels less ‘cringey’. (Upcoming guidance materials on a range of approaches and activity-based tools is in the process of being co-created and will be available soon.)
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- Open communication and sense of adult commitment to conversation, showing they care too. (e.g. Saying ‘Let’s meet again next week?’)
- Ask my preferences for ongoing communication:
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- Frequency of conversation
- timing of the day
- who approaches who? E.g. Key adult approaches pupil, or vice versa.
- Scheduled vs impromptu conversations
- Privacy – so others don’t know you’re going to pastoral care, especially when younger when people might be more curious and ask why.
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- Ways to support expression of views:
Key considerations for whole school planning:
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- If using a survey, adapt this to meet individual needs. E.g. coloured paper, spoken survey, special fonts, use of visuals.
- Make sure the survey is easy to access and available to everyone.
- Give pupils plenty of time to complete in school.
- Ensure that the young people involved are aware of how their views will be collected and used.
- Have a check-in to see if the situation has improved.
- Create a safe space/suggestion box to share views, allowing pupils to raise issues that are important to them.
- Ensure young people have direct access to those who have the power to make the decisions, e.g. Student council, parent council, SMT.
AUDIENCE
Key Questions:
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- How do you show that you are ready and willing to listen to children and young people’s views?
- How do you make sure they understand what you can do with their views?
Key considerations for individual planning:
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- Don’t be distracted. Make sure you have time to listen to me.
- Allow for an organic conversation to explore the situation and concerns, without jumping straight to supports and solutions.
- Listen without bias or judgement, keeping an open mind.
- Accept the “right now” and don’t focus on the past story all the time. It’s ok to keep this in mind but focus on listening to me, otherwise this can lead to invalidating feelings and communicates that you don’t want to listen.
- Consider that the passing of time might influence my understanding of a situation and the impact it has had – this is why it is important to continue to involve and listen to our views over time.
- Create a plan together with me. Include:
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- Timeframes
- Expectations of both adults and young people.
- A plan with different options
- Realistic expectations & baby steps
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Key considerations for whole school planning:
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- Make it clear from the start what information will be used and where.
- Ensure the people who have power to make the decisions have access to accurately represented views.
- Be transparent about the process.
INFLUENCE
Key Questions:
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- How will children and young people know how much influence they can have on decisions?
- How will you give them feedback? Consider the Lundy’s Four F’s feedback process: Full, Friendly (as in child friendly), Fast, Followed-up. Lundy, L. (2018).
- How will you share with them the impact of their views on decisions?
- How will you explain the reasons for the decisions taken?
Key considerations for individual planning:
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- Explore all ideas with me and then negotiate/compromise what can be done when. We can take on board information and suggestions!
- Make a plan together there and then. Then I know for sure I’ve had a voice in it.
- Have grace and a patient manner. Don’t make me feel like I’m asking too much.
- If something isn’t possible come to me with alternative suggestions.
Key considerations for whole school planning:
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- Share a summary of the views received and explain what changes can be/have been made as a result. Explain the reasons for decisions taken based on different relevant factors.
- Present the feedback in a way that is easy to understand e.g. a colourful PowerPoint or visual display of data.
- Consider the emotional impact when feedback is being given, especially if a compromise is required or the outcome is not aligned with young people’s preference.
[1] UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2009). General Comment No. 12: The right of the child to be heard, CRC/C/GC/12. Geneva: United Nations.
[2] UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), General comment No. 12 (2009): The right of the child to be heard, 20 July 2009, CRC/C/GC/12, at paras 132–134.
[3] Lundy, L. (2007). ‘Voice is not enough: Conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’. British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 33(6), no. 6, pp. 927–942
[4] Participation Framework | Hub Na nÓg (hubnanog.ie)
Tools and approaches to facilitate expression of views (within VOICE)
This section will be updated as materials are co-created with establishments.
The document below provides information on approaches and resources that can support gathering of children and young people’s views, regardless of age or any additional support needs. Although the guidelines were written for the context of LC-JSTs, the approach and resources described would be applicable to a wide range of situations.
LC-JST Best Practice Guidelines – Gathering the Views of CYP – 20.09.19
Below are some resources created by Glasgow Educational Psychology services to support gathering the views of children and young people.
Glasgow Motivation Wellbeing Profile Guidance
GCC GMWP Support Materials | (glowscotland.org.uk)
On the 6th Feb 2024 an update on this work was shared at the ASL coordinators network meeting, alongside information for anyone who would like to co-create guidance or supporting materials. Please see the presentation below.
