Education and Research

In partnership with the Irish Research Council, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has approved the creation of the Postgraduate Scholarship in Childhood Disadvantage in Ireland. This scholarship has been established in memory of the children who died in Mother and Baby Institutions. Applications are invited from those wishing to undertake research in the area of childhood disadvantage.

Possible areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• children who live/have lived with social and/or economic disadvantage
• children who experience/have experienced difficulties or disadvantage due to living with disabilities or additional needs (broadly defined)
• children from migrant populations, Travellers, or Roma who experience/or have experienced disadvantage as a result
• any relevant socio-historical research

Further information on this scholarship and how to apply can be found on the Irish Research Council’s website at https://research.ie/funding/goipg/

Following a recommendation from the Mother and Baby Homes Collaborative Forum in 2018, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth issued a funding call as part of the Irish Research Council COALESCE Research Fund. Researchers from the University of Galway were successful in the funding call.

The aim of this project was to highlight the stigmatising and labelling language that has been used in the past and to provide guidance as to how to address this issue. The Final Report was published by University of Galway in February 2023 and is available here.

A Summary Report is also available here.