Minister O’Gorman announces the first national study of home visiting services for families with babies and young children

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, has today announced the commencement of an important review of home visiting services for families with babies and young children in Ireland.

The UNITES project will be undertaken by a team at Maynooth University’s Centre for Mental Health and Community Research (Department of Psychology and Social Sciences Institute) and the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education. This study, which will be co-led by Professor Sinéad McGilloway and Dr. Deirdre Forde, will inform the development of an agreed national approach to home visiting services, having regard to the international and national evidence on the implementation and effectiveness of prevention and early intervention initiatives.

Home visiting programmes seek to positively influence health and wellbeing outcomes for parents and young children; they also seek to be inclusive and accessible by providing effective universal and targeted interventions to further support children most at risk. First 5, A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028, recognises the importance of the home environment and parenting supports in ensuring that all children have positive early experiences and get the best start in life.

The study will:

examine the resources, activity levels, geographical coverage and outcomes associated with home visiting programmes in Ireland
consider evidence of the effectiveness and implementation of home visiting programmes in Ireland and across the world
consult with parents to explore the demand, and preferences, for, different types of home visiting services
consult with other key stakeholders to identify, assess and agree options for a standardised approach in Ireland to home visiting service provision

Welcoming this study, Minister O’Gorman said:

“In the Programme for Government, we made a commitment to expand access to effective parenting support programmes. This research will deepen our understanding of the role of home visiting services in improving the lives of babies and young children, and assist the development of an agreed approach.

“I am committed to ensuring that parents, and those in a parenting role, receive timely, high quality and effective supports, and recognise the importance of a positive and nurturing home environment for early childhood development.

“I am pleased that this research project is underway as it will help us to better understand the services we currently have in Ireland and inform their development into the future."