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How Are Our Kids Today?

How Are Our Kids Today? . Dr . Tara Murphy & Dr. Suzanne Guerin Childhood Development Initiative (CDI ). Aims. To describe the context for the research; To provide a brief overview of key findings and trends relating to children and families in a small community in Ireland;

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How Are Our Kids Today?

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  1. How Are Our Kids Today?

    Dr. Tara Murphy & Dr. Suzanne Guerin Childhood Development Initiative (CDI)
  2. Aims To describe the context for the research; To provide a brief overview of key findings and trends relating to children and families in a small community in Ireland; To highlight some of the methodological challenges associated with the study.
  3. Background to CDI A community-led initiative; 10-year strategy developed by an interagency consortium of 23 people; Wide research and consultation over 3 years (‘How Are Our Kids?’ report (2004)); Jointly funded by the Department of Child & Youth Affairs and Atlantic Philanthropies: €15m over 5 years; Rigorous evaluation, including RCTS, quasi-experiments, & process evaluations.
  4. Current study: How Are Our Kids Today? (2010) Objectives: to study the lives of children, young people, and families in the community using key indicators; to establish patterns and trends in terms of needs; to explore access to and utilisation of services; to inform CDI’s strategic aims for the second phase of its strategy.
  5. International Research
  6. Relationship between child outcomes and SES (Nolan, et al., 2006; Williams, et al., 2009); Children living in marginalised and disadvantaged communities more likely to have poorer outcomes (Marmot & Wilkinson, 2001); High unemployment, extensive social housing and difficult psychosocial issues are associated with poor outcomes for children (Brooke, 2004; Di Liberti, 2000; Young, et al., 2005); Some children may demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity (Masten, et al., 1990); Early intervention and prevention demonstrated to significantly improve outcomes for children (Brooks-Gunn, et al., 2003; Bierman, Greenberg, et al., 1996); Also proven to be cost-effective in the long-term (Aos, et al., 2004).
  7. National ResearchState of the Nation’s Children (2010) & National Longitudinal Study (Growing Up in Ireland, 2009)
  8. Ireland continues to have the highest proportion of children in the EU (Population Estimates, Central Statistics Office, 2009); Higher proportion of babies born in the low birth weight category among mothers who reported to be ‘unemployed’ (9%) compared to mothers in ‘higher professional’ groups (4%); Nearly two thirds of children with a disability are boys (CSO, 2006); Older children find it more difficult to talk to their mothers and fathers when something is really bothering them (HBSC Survey, 2006); 26% of children aged 11, 13 & 15 reported that they had been bullied at school at least once in the past couple of months (EU average = 32%); Irish girls aged 16 have the highest level of binge drinking in the EU; Lone parent families much more likely to be disadvantaged –lower educational attainment, lower income group etc. –especially larger lone parent families.
  9. Local Research Central Statistics Office (2006) 31% of children aged between 0-14 years (national average = 20%); 43% renting from local authority compared to 7% nationally; 15% unemployed compared to 7% nationally; 39% lone parent families compared to 18% nationally.
  10. Methodology
  11. Training Fieldworkers Selection & Recruitment Recruited 20 members from the local community (18 f, 2 m); 15 implemented the household survey. Incentives Payment for completion of training and at least 10 surveys. Training Over 10 hours of induction and booster training over 6 months; Key components: Survey content; Quantitative & qualitative data; Ethical issues (anonymity, confidentiality & voluntary participation); Sampling (quota & random); Fieldworker script; Case studies and tip sheets.
  12. Household survey Demographics Living situation Sense of community & safety Parenting & family life Health & wellbeing (child, parent, partner) Employment Education & after-school activities Financial issues Key challenges
  13. Key Findings Demographics 92% of participants are Irish (95%, HAOK); 40% (n=57) households headed by a lone parent; Average number of children is 2 (SD=1.3); 41% of ‘index’ child aged between 5-9 years (34% aged 10-14 years in HAOK). Living situation 67% (n=95) of respondents are renting from the local authority compared to 65% in HAOK; Over 80% (n=113) live in the same home for 2+ years; 60% live in the area for 10 years or more (67% in HAOK).
  14. Issues with Accommodation
  15. Home: The Enjoyments Generally positive Separate from world/ private Safe Ownership (its mine) Investment in the house (e.g. decorating) Sense of home (its ‘homely’, cosy) Sense of history/ connection Associates with family Associates with friends Associates with neighbours Aspects of nature (garden, mountains) Elements (e.g. particular rooms, belongings) Sense of space Location Other Nothing/ don’t like home/ generally negative
  16. Sense of Community Two thirds (95%) feel a sense of community with other people in their area; Nearly 90% feel their child had a sense of community; Three quarters (n=107) would allow their child to play outside; 38% (n=54) perceived the community as ‘very good’ or ‘fairly good’ in terms of raising a child in it while 31% (n=44) rated it as neither good nor bad.
  17. Problems in the Neighbourhood
  18. Parenting & Family Life Parents’ expectations for their child: 41% (n=64) - to go to college & have a good education; 16% -to be happy; 8% - to get a good job. Nearly 90% (n=124) reported really enjoying being a parent “all or most of the time”. 81% (n=114) believe their child had a happy future ahead of them (non-response =1). Child’s strengths Personality characteristics General abilities (incl. talking) Social characteristics Behaviour Appearance Helpful to parents Affectionate/ loving Fun/ funny
  19. Parental Health 75% (n=105) report their health being ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ good; 1 in 5 (20%, n=28) have an illness, health problem or disability on a LT basis compared to 1 in 4 (26%) in HAOK; 26% (n=36) had pain and 27% had anxiety / depression (similar for partner); 76% reported that someone in their house has a medical card; 43% (n=60) indicated that state benefits are the household’s only source of income (33% did not respond).
  20. Child’s Health 18% (n=25) had a child with an illness, health problem or disability on a LT basis compared to 15% in HAOK; 22% (n=31) had a child who felt worried or sad (14% feeling anxious/ depressed in HAOK); 35% (n=49) stated that their child had difficulties with emotion, concentration, behaviour or being able to get along with others to some extent.
  21. Employment
  22. School Nearly 60% (n=85) of children attend primary school. In terms of travelling to school: 45% walk; 26% by car; 4% by public transport; 2% cycle; 2% ‘other’. 62% believed their child was achieving their potential at nursery/ school/ college (compared to 68% in HAOK); 29% reported the child had been bullied in school (39% in HAOK).
  23. Financial Issues: ‘Unable to Afford’
  24. Difficulty Making Payments
  25. Current Problems
  26. Good things that have happened to the family recently? Some examples… Birth/ pregnancy; Child doing well in school/ competition; Family celebration; Holiday/ trip; New pet; Renovations/ decorating; Job/ college
  27. Methodological Challenges Sampling: Some groups under / not represented in the final sample. Community members as fieldworkers: Issues with attrition; Sensitivity of survey items (“too close to the bone”); Delay with police vetting; High level of ongoing support required; Managing timelines (including scheduling pairs); Responding to inconsistency and/or missing data. Data analysis: Sufficient time; Making judgement calls i.e. focusing on what’s most useful/ helpful.
  28. What Next? Currently undertakinga comprehensive consultation process with key stakeholders prior to the wider dissemination of findings; Integrate findings with findings from the programme evaluations; Wider dissemination in late 2011/2012; For further information: Website: www.twcdi.ie Email tara@twcdi.ie
  29. References Bierman, K., Greenberg, M. T., & Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (1996). Social skills in the FAST Track Program. In. R. DeV. Peters & R. J. McMahon (Eds.), Prevention and early intervention: Childhood disorders, substance abuse, and delinquency (pp. 65–89). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Aos, S., Lieb, R., Mayfield, J., Miller, M., & Pennucci, A. (2004). Benefits and costs of prevention and early intervention programs for youth. Olympia: Washington State Institute for Public Policy. Childhood Development Initiative (2004). How Are Our Kids? www.twcdi.ie Childhood Development Initiative (2008). CDI Safety Consultation Report. www.twcdi.ie Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Irish Government (2010). State of the Nation’s Children. Trinity College Dublin & ESRI (2009). Growing Up in Ireland Study. see www.tcd/ie/childrensresearchcentre
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