Collective participation of children in care: a formative evaluation of the Tusla / EPIC foster care action groups

Abstract

Children’s participation has been defined as ‘the process by which children and young people have active involvement and real influence in decision-making on matters affecting their lives, both directly and indirectly’ (DCYA, 2015: 20). Children’s participation can relate to decision-making about their own lives and circumstances (individual participation) or to the issues affecting a group of children and young people (collective participation). This study focuses on collective participation, which is defined by Seim and Slettebø (2011: 498) as ‘the goal of improving services for everyone in the same situation’.