Press release
An Taoiseach Simon Harris launches new infant Growing up in Ireland study
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
An Taoiseach Simon Harris today announced the launch of a new birth cohort for the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal study.
The Growing Up in Ireland national longitudinal study has played an important role in understanding the lives of children, from birth to adulthood, since it began in 2006. We know that early experiences are important for both contemporary well-being and later outcomes. A nationally representative study that begins from birth gives a deeper understanding of the factors that support health and well-being.
Two groups of children have been followed since the study began, one of children born in 1998 and one born in 2008, who have been studied over the past 16 years. The new group of children born in 2024 will help us to understand the changing health, socioeconomic and environmental factors across the life of the next generation of children in Ireland. This will help Government and service providers to provide better services and programmes to meet the needs of the population.
Cohort ‘24 was introduced after consultation with experts and stakeholders, who agreed that a new study is required because of the significant social, economic and policy changes that have occurred in Ireland, since the beginning of the Growing Up in Ireland study in 2008.
Since 2008, GUI data has had significant impacts on policies that improve the lives of children and young people in Ireland. It has helped to deliver more childcare supports to parents, and it was instrumental in the development of various policy frameworks and initiatives for children, young people and families. As the children have grown, and the study has expanded, it is useful in examining the whole life course of the population, to learn more about important policy issues across Government.
Speaking upon the launch, the Taoiseach, Simon Harris said:
“The Growing Up in Ireland study has been of immense value in creating policy that is informed by evidence and this longitudinal study has allowed us to deliver real value in the services we provide for children and young people. There is always more that we can do to improve, and having more up-to-date information on babies born now will allow us to deliver even more improvements. It will also help us to track and compare with previous groups so that we can see what is working well and what needs to change.”
Minister O’Gorman said:
“I thank the Taoiseach for launching this study today. I am very proud to deliver this new birth cohort study to capture the new beginnings for a generation of children in Ireland today. Every life story has a beginning, Growing Up in Ireland, the national longitudinal study, follows groups of children and their families over time from birth through to adulthood. This new study of Cohort ’24 will provide us with the information we need now to deliver better services, and also importantly, will continue to provide us with crucial information for many years to come.”
The Central Statistics Office is inviting families with babies born this year to take part in this new Cohort ’24 study and I would urge all of you who receive an invitation to take part. Your family and your baby’s contribution as they grow and develop will be important for this and for future generations.”
Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State with responsibility for the Central Statistics Office said:
“Since 2008, this study continues to have major impacts on policies to improve the lives of children and young people in Ireland. The launch of this new birth cohort today means that we in Government can continue to update and improve the services we support for children and families.
I am delighted to support the collaboration between the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Central Statistics Office on the Growing up in Ireland study. It is a great example of how we can all work together across Government to improve outcomes for children today and in the future.”
ENDS//
Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) is the national longitudinal study of children and young people, a joint project of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The GUI study was designed to gain insight into the lives and development of children in Ireland and the impacts of early childhood experiences on their lives. The goal is to gain insight into the lives of children in Ireland, in terms of children’s health, education, and cognitive and socio-emotional development, set within social, economic, and cultural contexts.
The GUI study is designed to longitudinally chart and explore the factors that contribute to, or undermine, the well-being of children in contemporary Ireland. The study data and findings allow Government to develop responsive, child-focused policies and improve the delivery of services for children and their families in Ireland.
Babies from the Early Learning Initiative at the National College of Ireland took part in the launch of the new Infant Birth Cohort. The Early Learning Initiative was set up in 2006 and provides an integrated programme of activities, training and support for children, parents and educators, from birth.
GUI is the National Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland (NLSCI), as approved by Government in March 2002, and established in 2006 as Growing up in Ireland (GUI).
GUI, funded by the Government of Ireland, is carried out within the framework of the Statistics Act, 1993. It aims to examine the factors which support or undermine the well-being of children in families, in order to inform effective and responsive policy making and service development.
GUI was originally undertaken by the Economic Social and Research Institute (ESRI) under contract by the Department from 2006 to 2022. Since January 2023, Growing Up in Ireland is being carried out jointly by DCEDIY and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) under a collaborative model for GUI developed by DCEDIY and the CSO, to build on and make best use of the expertise and remit of each organisation. The model involves DCEDIY and the CSO working in partnership to deliver GUI, each taking responsibility for leading on separate but interrelated phases of the work. In this collaboration, the CSO is responsible for the GUI Survey and DCEDIY leads on the GUI Study.
• The GUI Survey refers to the elements of GUI being undertaken by the CSO under the authority of the Statistics Act, 1993. This encompasses all stages of the survey life cycle as defined by the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM), namely: Identify Needs, Design, Build, Collect, Process, Analyse and Disseminate. The CSO ensures that the survey process is informed by the fullest possible engagement with key stakeholders, in particular, with DCEDIY.
• The GUI Study refers to those elements of GUI being undertaken by the DCEDIY. These encompass: engaging with policy and scientific stakeholders; consulting with children/young people; identification of research needs, data priorities and policy objectives; consulting on instrumentation development and design; enhancing awareness of GUI; building capacity in GUI data use; promoting the use of GUI data for research and policy development; and generating research analyses of the data in the GUI study. DCEDIY engages with the CSO throughout these processes.
Experts who previously worked on Growing Up in Ireland at the ESRI have moved to the CSO and to DCEDIY, so that the study continues to benefit from their expertise.
The primary aim of the Growing Up in Ireland study is to inform Government policy in relation to children, young people and families.
The founding objectives for the study are:
• to describe the lives of children in Ireland in the relevant age categories, to establish what is typical and normal as well as what is atypical and problematic
• to chart the development of children over time, to examine the progress and well-being of children at critical periods from birth to adulthood
• to identify the key factors that, independently of others, most help or hinder children’s development
• to establish the effects of early childhood experiences on later life
• to map dimensions of variation in children’s lives
• to identify the persistent adverse effects that lead to social disadvantage and exclusion, educational difficulties, ill health, and deprivation
• to obtain children’s views and opinions on their lives
• to provide a bank of data on the whole child
• to provide evidence for the creation of effective and responsive policies and services for children and families
Cohort ’24 is a new infant cohort to be launched today. A pilot for this infant cohort was conducted in 2023. Recruitment for babies who will be 9 months old in 2024 started in September 2024 and will continue in staggered phases over 2024 and 2025.
Cohort ‘98 started in 2008 with 8,500 children aged 9 years. Information was collected from parents, teachers, Principals and the children themselves. Additional perspectives were collected by post from non-resident parents and regular carers of the Study Child. This cohort was revisited at age 13 years, 17/18 years and at age 20. Fieldwork for Cohort ’98 at 25 has finished.
Data collection for Cohort ’08 started in 2008 with over 11,000 9-month-olds and their families. Follow-up waves were completed when the child was aged 3 years, 5 years, 7/8 years (postal), 9 and at 13 years. Initial work on Cohort ’08 at 17 has begun. Depending on the particular wave, information has been collected from parents, carers, non-resident parents, teachers and principals.
There was a special survey on Covid 19 for these two cohorts.
Some examples of the impact of GUI data and research on public policy:
• Department of Rural and Community Development: Civic engagement in rural areas
• Arts Council: Strategic planning for children’s cultural participation
• Department of Education: Review of career guidance
• Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth:
o Covid Schools reopening
o ECCE take up
o Early Learning impacts
o Work life balance
o Child and youth priorities
o ABC evaluation
o Housing conditions and child outcomes
o Parenting relationships
o Migrant children
o Discrimination
• National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Transitions to primary school
• Department of Health:
o Medical Card usage
o Population Health planning
o Screen time
• Heath Research Board: Pathways and drug use
• Institute of Public Health:
o Advising on upcoming legislation
o Vaping
o Gambling
• Health Service Executive:
o Young people’s health behaviours
o Sex and sexual behaviours among young people
• Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and ComReG: Mobile phones and learning
• National Disability Authority: Parental educational expectations of children with disabilities
• NCSE: Estimating special needs prevalence
o Educational outcomes for students with SEN
October 9th at the Gibson Hotel, Dublin.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth hosts an annual Growing up in Ireland Research Conference, this year marks the 16th conference held. The one-day annual conference is aimed at policy makers, NGOs and academics, highlighting the research available to inform and support their work.