Investing in Children was set up in 1995 as a partnership between Durham County Council and the Strategic Health Authority. In 2004, due to increased interest from other parts of the UK, the Investing in Children Development Agency was established. In May 2013 we became a Community Interest Company. Our independence has allowed us to establish partnerships with public and private service agencies, along with universities across the UK and Europe. For over 20 years, we have been working to create a range of effective ways in which children and young people can have a say; discussing issues and developing arguments about how things might change. IiC provides support for them to enter into dialogue with adults who may have the power to act upon their agenda, often resulting in improvements in the services themselves. We believe that children and young people are knowledgeable about the world in which they live, and can be powerful participants in political dialogue and persuasive advocates on their own behalf.