INTRODUCTION

New developments

Data developments to support indicators
Since the publication of the last State of the Nation’s Children report, work has taken place to create data to construct 4 indicators from the National Set of Child Well-Being Indicators (Hanafin and Brooks, 2005) for which there was no available data for the 2006 report. Progress on this work is set out below.

Data developments to support indicators

Indicator Progress to date
Pets and animals The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Survey has piloted, tested and collected information on pets and animals. Data on pets and animal ownership among children is reported on in this State of the Nation's Children report.
Nutritional outcomes The Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive have commissioned the Surveillance of Obesity in Irish School Children. This is a WHO-led project and, as part of a pan-European initiative, will allow for intercountry comparisons within the WHO European Region.

Its objective is to measure (i) weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference; and (ii) prevalence of underweight, healthy weight, overweight and obesity levels, as well as mean BMI of primary school children. Data on nutritional outcomes, specifically BMI, will be available in the next State of the Nation's Children report.
Quality of early childhood care and education The OMCYA is working with the Central Statistics Office to identify a question for inclusion in the next Childcare Module of the European Consumer Household Panel Survey. Data on the quality of early childhood care and education will be available in the next State of the Nation's Children report.
Values and respect The OMCYA is working with the Health Promotion Research Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway, to identify a question for inclusion in the next Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Survey.

New indicator on ethnicity
This State of the Nation’s Children report includes a new indicator on ethnicity, which draws on data from the Census of the Population 2006.

Proxy indicators on alcohol and drug use
Since the data from the European Schools Project on Alcohol and Drugs (ESPAD) has not yet been published, proxy indicators on alcohol and drug use have been selected for use in this State of the Nation’s Children report. These indicators, which are drawn on

Proxy indicators on alcohol and drug use

Alcohol use From:
The percentage of children aged 15 who report to have had 5 or more alcoholic drinks in a row at least once in the last 30 days (ESPAD).

To:
The percentage of children aged 10-17 who report to have been drunk at least once in the last 30 days (HBSC).  
Drug use From:
The percentage of children aged 15 who report having used any illicit drugs in their lifetime (ESPAD).

To:
The percentage of children aged 10-17 who report having taken cannabis at least once in their lifetime (HBSC).

data from the HBSC Survey, are presented below.

New data on middle childhood
Since the publication of the last State of the Nation’s Children report, work has taken place to improve data on the middle childhood period.

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Survey is a WHO cross-national study of children’s health behaviours, attitudes, perceptions and the contexts of children’s health (including family life, school, relationships with peers and the local community). The Irish HBSC Survey has been funded every 4 years by the Department of Health and Children and is led by the Health Promotion Research Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway. In general, data are collected from children aged 11-17. Additional funding, however, was provided in the 2006 Irish survey to collect data from children aged 9 upwards with a view to enhancing the information available about the middle childhood period. These data are presented in this State of the Nation’s Children report.

Understandings about the middle childhood period will be greatly augmented by the National Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland currently underway, entitled Growing Up in Ireland. This study commenced in May 2007 and will take place over a 7-year period. It will follow the progress and monitor the development of 18,000 children in two groups — a 9-monthold infant cohort of 10,000 and a 9-year-old cohort of 8,000 children — yielding important information about each significant transition throughout their young lives (for further details, see www.growingup.ie). Over the course of the 7 years, two data sweeps with each group will be undertaken: the first data sweep of the 9-year-old cohort has been completed and work is about to commence on the collection of data for the 9-month-old infant cohort. The main aim of the study is to paint a full picture of how children in Ireland are developing in the current social, economic and cultural environment. This information will be used to assist in policy formation and in the provision of services that will ensure all children will have the best possible start in life. The study is funded by the Department of Health and Children through the OMCYA, in association with the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Central Statistics Office. The OMCYA is overseeing and managing the study, which is being carried out by a consortium of researchers led by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Trinity College Dublin.

Updates not available
In this State of the Nation’s Children report, it has been possible to provide updated data for the majority of indicators. However, in some cases, no updates were available (see below). Instead, the latest data for these indicators, previously published, are included in this report:

  • Availability of housing for families with children: The number of children in families on a local authority housing waiting list.
  • Enrolment in early childhood care and education: The percentage of children under 13 in various early childhood care and education arrangements.
  • Attendance at school: The percentage of children who are absent from school for 20 days or more in the school year.
  • Screening for growth and development: The percentage uptake of developmental screening at 7-9 months.

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