Minister Announces Extension In The Growing Up In Ireland Study

Frances Fitzgerald T.D., Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has today announced an extension of Growing Up in Ireland, the National Longitudinal Study of Children.

Minister Fitzgerald stated: "The Growing Up in Ireland study is providing us with essential and invaluable data about the life experiences of our children. I am delighted to announce that funding has been secured to collect data about children at one of the most important transitions in their lives, the start of primary schooling.

"We know that a smooth transition is very important for children's future physical, emotional and cognitive development and this research will help us to identify the ways in which children can be supported at this time. Importantly, it will also allow us to address a range of central policy questions including the effects of school entry age on child outcomes and the impact of policy interventions, in particular the universal free pre-school.

"I am delighted that the Economic and Social Research Institute and Trinity College Dublin will continue to lead the Consortium undertaking this research. Both have a long history of research on a range of policy-relevant issues concerning children and their families."

It has been following the development of almost 20,000 children in Ireland across two cohorts: an infant cohort recruited at nine-months; and a child cohort recruited at nine years. The infant cohort children (with their families) have been interviewed at 9 months and 3 years of age. The child cohort children (also with their families) have been interviewed at 9 and 13 years of age.

From September 2012, the infant cohort children, who are about to turn five years old, will start primary schooling and the extension of Growing Up in Ireland announced today will capture that critical transition.

(CD/GK)