A framework for monitoring and evaluating children's participation

This guide, developed by Gerison Lansdown for Save the Children, outlines a framework for measuring the creation of a participatory environment for children, and then, measuring the impact of children's participation throughout the project cycle.

Abstract

"As a response to the need to develop approaches to monitoring and evaluating children’s participation, here is a chance to take part in a pilot study to test out new materials, supported by a toolkit, for measuring children’s participation. The project is being launched by Save the Children, UNICEF, Plan International and World Vision, and is supported by the Oak Foundation. This Framework is intended to be useful for monitoring and evaluation of a variety of children’s participation processes. It is divided into two parts. Part one focuses on measuring the extent to which the environment at the national and local level is conducive to respect for children’s right to participate. Part two is concerned with measuring the scope, quality and outcomes associated with specific participation processes or initiatives." (Lansdown 2011)

Contents

  • Participation: setting the context: 4
  • Defining the participation of children 4
  • Why participation is important 5
  • Challenges in respecting participation 6
  • The case for measuring participation 7
  • Measuring the creation of a participatory environment for children 12
  • Standards for measuring the environment for children’s participation 12
  • Matrices for measuring the environment for children’s participation 14
  • Measuring legal entitlements to participate 14
  • Measuring the right to access to information 15
  • Measuring awareness-raising on children’s participation rights 16
  • Measuring opportunities to influence decisions 17
  • Measuring respect for children’s participation in their daily lives 18
  • Measuring the scope, quality and impact of participation 20
  • Scope of participation throughout the programme cycle 21
  • Understanding the scope of child participation 21
  • Measuring child participation throughout the programme cycle 23
  • Matrix for measuring the scope of participation 24
  • Quality standards in promoting effective participation 26
  • Basic requirements for quality participation 26
  • Matrix for measuring the quality of participation 29
  • Outcomes associated with participation 35
  • Types of outcomes 35
  • Matrix for measuring the outcomes associated with participation 27

Sources

Lansdown, Gerison. (2011) . A Framework  for Monitoring and Evaluating Children’s Participation. Oak Foundation.Retrieved from: https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/framework-monitoring-and-evaluating-childrens-participation-preparatory-draft-piloting/

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