The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Ms Frances Fitzgerald TD, today launched the first findings from “Growing up in Ireland – the Infant Cohort at 3 Years”, involving 11,100 three-year-olds and their parents.
Speaking at the event, Ms Fitzgerald welcomed the publication of these findings and noted how important it is to have a good understanding of what is happening in children’s lives.
She said: “This research highlights the heavy economic strain being experienced by families today, which is deeply disturbing. It also shows what we already know on a personal basis: that families are finding it very tough to make ends meet.
“The research also shows very positive elements of 3-year-old children’s lives. It is clear that, in general, these children are in good health, have close and warm relationships with their grandparents, and live in a stable family structure. However, there are a number of disturbing findings, including: one in four children are overweight or obese, and there is a clear economic strain being placed on families as a result of the recession.
The Minister also said: “These first longitudinal findings are very important for policymakers, as they allow us to track events across the life of the child. I have asked my Department to examine the trends which are emerging from this study and to ensure that they are central in the relevant policy discussions.”
Key findings included:
• Almost two thirds (63 per cent) of all families with three-year-olds reported that the recession had had a significant or very significant effect on them;
• 61 per cent of families are finding it difficult to make ends meet;
• The most frequently recorded effects were: a reduction in wages (63 per cent); can’t afford luxuries (54 per cent), social welfare reduction (53 per cent), and can’t afford/have cut back on basics (32 per cent).
• Most of the children were described as being in good health; 75 per cent were rated as very healthy and a further 23 per cent were rated as healthy, but with a few minor problems. Girls were more likely to be reported as very healthy (78 per cent) compared to boys (72 per cent).
• One in four or almost one quarter of three-year-old children were overweight (19 per cent) or obese (6 per cent). While the overall distribution of family structure was stable, there have been transitions from one-parent families to two-parent families and vice-versa over the 27 months between interviews – approximately 2 to 3 per cent in each direction. The most frequently used discipline technique was ‘discussing or explaining why the behaviour was wrong’, with 63 per cent of mothers saying they always did this.
The latest results from the study tell us important information on how these families are faring across a range of areas in their lives including their health, family life, and financial and economic circumstances. The study offers important information on what is happening in the lives of three year olds and their families, and paints a picture of key trends in children’s development over time.
