Ireland’s national approach to children and young people is brought together through the Young Ireland reports and publications collection on gov.ie. The resource gives families, professionals, researchers and policymakers access to policy documents, progress reports, research and international commitments shaping children’s rights and wellbeing.
Published by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, the collection was originally published on 24 October 2024 and contains material covering the 2023–2028 policy framework, children’s rights, poverty indicators, participation and the European Child Guarantee.
Young Ireland reports set out Ireland’s policy direction
At the centre of the collection is Young Ireland: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2023–2028, alongside its Irish-language title and child-friendly version. These documents are supported by progress reporting, including the Young Ireland Progress Report 2024 and a later publication listed for December 2025.
The framework provides a central reference point for understanding how public services and government departments work towards better outcomes for children and young people. It is particularly relevant to organisations involved in education, health, housing, social protection, disability and equality.
Evidence on children’s lives
The collection also brings together research intended to improve understanding of children’s experiences in Ireland. Listed resources include the State of the Nation’s Children reports, the Children and Young People’s Indicator Set, Growing Up in Ireland material, Healthy Ireland Survey documents and child poverty target indicators.
Data resources from the CSO and Tusla are also signposted, helping users find evidence about children and young people in one place. Research on playwork, lone-parent households and prevention and early intervention adds further context for practitioners and decision-makers.
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Children’s rights and the European Child Guarantee
Young Ireland reports are presented alongside Ireland’s work under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The page includes Ireland’s periodic reports, UN concluding observations and child-friendly versions of key documents, as well as information on optional protocols.
A separate section covers the European Child Guarantee, including Ireland’s National Action Plan, the European recommendation, interim reporting and the 2024–2025 second progress report. These publications help explain how Ireland is addressing access to essential services and reducing disadvantage affecting children.
Why the publication collection matters
- It provides a single access point for official children’s policy documents.
- It supports evidence-led planning across government and public services.
- It makes important rights and policy information available in child-friendly formats.
- It allows progress on national and European commitments to be tracked.
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What readers can find on the gov.ie page
Visitors can browse Young Ireland policy documents, data and research, UNCRC publications, European Child Guarantee material and related press releases. The page also records announcements such as ministerial updates, advisory council opportunities and progress reports.
For families and organisations seeking reliable information, the collection is a useful starting point rather than a single report. Its breadth allows users to move from policy commitments to data, research and international monitoring documents.
Article/Image Courtesy: gov.ie
Overall, the Young Ireland reports collection shows how Ireland is bringing policy, research and children’s rights together. The clear takeaway is that official evidence and progress reporting remain essential to measuring whether national commitments are improving children’s lives.