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Report of The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020


Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures

Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020 was approved by Government and launched by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Ms. Frances Fitzgerald, on 16 April 2014 and ran from 2014 - 2020.

Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures represents the first overarching national children’s policy framework comprehending the age ranges spanning children and young people (0 – 24 years). It adopts a whole of Government approach and is underpinned by a number of constituent strategies in the areas of early years, youth and participation.

The views of a wide range of interests, including those of children and young people themselves, shaped the development of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures. It is informed by the following inputs:

  • The results of a consultation in 2011, which centred around children and young people, in which almost 67,000 people throughout the country participated. The results of the analysis of the consultation were published in November 2012.
  • A public consultation of the general public, conducted in 2012, during which over 1000 submissions were received. An analysis of the submissions was completed in April 2013.
  • The advice of the National Children’s Advisory Council, which represented a range of statutory and non-statutory organisations working with children and young people.

Major Innovations of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures

  • Established a shared set of outcomes for children and young people which all government departments and agencies, statutory services and the voluntary and community sectors worked towards, to ensure a coherent response for children and young people.
  • Identified the range of 163 policy commitments in place across government and progress these based on a structured, systematic and outcomes focused approach.
  • Emphasised an integrated and evidence-informed approach to working across government, on horizontal and vertical levels, which transfers to all sectors and settings working with children and young people.
  • Prioritised the key cross-cutting transformational goals under each outcome area, which required concerted and coordinated action to ensure the realisation of the respective outcomes.

Implementation Infrastructure

The key groupings involved in the implementation infrastructure of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures were the Children and Young People’s Policy Consortium, the Sponsors Group, the Advisory Council and the Children and Young People’s Services Committees National Steering Group, together with the children and young people’s participatory structures Comhairle na nOg and the Structured Dialogue Working Group. Participation by the latter two groupings helped to ensure that the voice of children and young people clearly informed the implementation of the framework.

An Implementation Team within DCEDIY has been established to lead, coordinate and monitor implementation. The Implementation Team can be contacted at: PolicyInnovation@dcya.gov.ie.

National advisory Council

The National Advisory Council was established under Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020 and reports and provides advice to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on the implementation of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures and on issues affecting the lives of children and young people.

The Council harnesses expertise and experience from the community and voluntary sector, from academia and from independent experts and individuals who have specific expertise in working with and for children and young people. It brings into one forum a diverse range of interests from sectorial stakeholders in the domains of children and young people’s policy and provision. These sectors connect with and mobilise communities, families and individuals, and as such are seen as essential groups seeking to ensure the achievement of the five national outcomes for children and young people.

The Council members belong to one of four constituent groupings: Early Years, Children, Youth, Independent Group/ Ministerial Nominees. The Council is currently chaired by Ms. Tanya Ward CEO of the Children’s Rights Alliance.

The Council has worked on many priority areas since Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures was published in 2014 such as:

  • Child Poverty
  • Prevention and Early Intervention
  • Children’s Rights
  • Children and Young People’s Participation and LGBTI+
  • Early years and implementation of the First Five Early Years Strategy
  • Brexit and its effect on children and young people
  • Learning and Development
  • Well Being of children and young people

In 2021, the Council developed a paper, Addressing Child Poverty: Towards a National Child Poverty Action Plan, that sets out the perspective of the National Advisory Council, its analysis of causes and trends of child poverty and its proposals for a whole-of-government approach to planning its elimination. The paper suggests targeted measures required to eradicate child poverty, spanning 11 policy areas. The paper builds on analysis of the most recent Growing Up in Ireland and Survey on Income and Living Conditions data.

This Council’s paper was submitted to Minister O’Gorman, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for consideration in late 2021 and can be found here: Child Poverty Paper 28 July 2021

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