| Study Title |
L8 Growing Up in Ireland: Child Cohort – Wave 1 Primary Caregiver Main Questionnaire |
| Creator |
Consortium of researchers led by the Economic and Social Research Institute (www.esri.ie) and Trinity College, Dublin (www.tcd.ie) |
| Data Owner |
Consortium of researchers led by the Economic and Social Research Institute (www.esri.ie) and Trinity College, Dublin (www.tcd.ie) |
| Funder |
Funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (www.dcya.ie), in association with the Department of Social Protection (www.welfare.ie) and the Central Statistics Office (www.cso.ie) |
| Publisher |
Department of Children and Youth Affairs (www.dcya.ie) |
| Description |
Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) is a national longitudinal study of children being conducted with the aim of improving understanding of all aspects of childrens lives and their development in the current social, economic and cultural environment. The principal objective of the GUI study is to describe the lives of children in order to establish what is typical and normal, as well as what is atypical and problematic. 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 focuses on a broad range of outcomes. Being longitudinal, it examines developmental trajectories over time, tracking the development of two cohorts: approx. 11,000 infants (9 months old) tracking them into early childhood and approx. 8,500 children (9 years old) tracking them into early adolescence.
The Primary Caregiver Main Questionnaire for the Child Cohort recorded data on household composition, childs health, health services, diet and exercise, the primary caregivers health and lifestyle, activities, emotional health, education, socio-demographics, neighbourhood and community. |
| Key Variables |
ID Other; Sex; DOB; Age in Years; Family Status; Household; Occupation; Income; Ed Attain Mother; Labour Force Status; Nationality; Disability; Race/Ethnicity; Traveller Status; Religion |
| Themes |
Health; Education; Social/Emotional/Behavioural; Demographics; Financial/Economic; Relationships |
| Unit Of Observation |
Study child, primary caregiver and the household |
| Start Date |
August 2007 (Wave 1, children at 9 years) |
| End Date |
September 2011 (Wave 2, same children at 13 years) |
| Target Population |
8,568 children, born between 1st November 1997 and 31st October 1998, were recruited to the Child Cohort for Wave 1 data collection. The following relates to the Primary Caregiver Main Questionnaire:
Target population: Primary caregiver of the Study child.
Number of completed questionnaires: 8,568 primary caregivers in respect of 8,568 Study children. |
| Method |
The Primary Caregiver Main Questionnaire was completed in respondent’s home on a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) basis. |
| Most Recent Data Collection |
September 2011 (Wave 2, same children at 13 years) |
| Most Recent Publication |
2012. See:
- Nixon, E. (2012) Growing Up in Ireland: How Families Matter for Social and Emotional Outcomes of 9-Year-Old Children. Report 4, Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Dublin: Government Publications. Available at: www.growingup.ie/fileadmin/
user_upload/documents/Second_Child_Cohort_Reports/Growing_Up_in_Ireland__How_Families_Matter_for_Social_and_Emotional_Outcomes_of_9-Year-Old_Children.pdf |
| Internationally Comparable Studies |
A British national longitudinal birth cohort study, conducted by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies and called The Millennium Cohort Study, has traced some 19,000 children born in the UK in 2000-01 throughout early childhood, with plans to continue tracing into adulthood. Publications available at:
- www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/Publications.aspx?sitesectionid=70&sitesectiontitle=Publications
Similar longitudinal studies have been carried out in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. |
| Access Further Information |
www.growingup.ie |
| Notes |
The Primary Caregiver Main Questionnaire was completed in respondents home on a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) basis. |