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

Summary

• There is a range of activity in progress to engage children and young people in decision-making in relation to the Scottish Attainment Challenge.
• Some of the work engaging children and young people is taking place specific to ASF, but much is part of wider work around engaging children and young people in decision-making within local areas.
• Actions are taking place at a range of levels. Participatory Budgeting (PB) is one approach being utilised within schools as evidenced by the inclusion of this approach as part of School Improvement Plans. Funding through the Scottish Attainment Challenge National Programmes also provides a key route, as illustrated through some of the case studies.
• Former Challenge Authorities, and some local authorities which had previously had schools in receipt of Schools Programme funding, described particular approaches. There is some evidence suggesting some local authorities which were not involved in either the Challenge Authorities or Schools Programme acknowledged the need for further work in this regard.
• There are numerous examples where this work is effectively taking place and developing, but it is clearly an area where further developments are progressing or planned.
• Good practice is developing, and utilising work both initiated through the National Programmes and local authorities, as well as other examples.
• Resources to support children and young people’s engagement in decision-making in relation to the Scottish Attainment Challenge are also developing.

Annex B outlines the Evaluation sub-evaluation questions in turn, and provides a progress ‘stock take’ on the basis of the evidence considered to date.