Attainment Scotland Fund evaluation - voice of children and young people: thematic evaluation report 2024

To date, the thematic focus has primarily related to engagement of children and young people in decision-making. Families and communities’ involvement in decision-making has not been focus of this thematic project to date but is an area for further exploration in the thematic evaluation going forward.

Evidence has been gathered related to how children and young people are engaged in decision-making in relation to the ASF, and to what extent. This suggests:

• a range of approaches and mechanisms to engaging children and young people in decision-making; and,
• whilst varied, engagement of children and young people is taking place to some extent and in a range of contexts, and employing a range of approaches.

Fairly diverse with evidence of established approaches in some schools/Local Authority areas.

Less evidence of stages has emerged to date, but it appears that there is a greater emphasis at secondary than at primary.

Limited evidence gathered to date of impact in terms of children and young people’s engagement in decision-making in relation to ASF. This is an area for ongoing exploration in the evaluation.

Families and communities’ involvement in decision-making has not been focus of this thematic project to date, but is an area for further exploration in the thematic evaluation going forward.

Although not fully explored to date, there are a number of points which are emerging, including:

• young people’s preparation for engagement;
• the mechanism for engagement; and,
• use of innovative and engaging approaches, including co-design models.

This is area for further exploration in the thematic evaluation going forward.

As noted above in terms of diversity of experience, approaches vary widely and appear to be embedded to a greater or lesser extent.

The work is not necessarily specific to the Attainment Scotland Fund, and reflects wider work related to engaging children and young people/pupil voice.

There is acknowledgement that there is further requirement to focus on engaging children and young people in decision-making in relation to the ASF in some local authorities.