A national longitudinal study of 18,000 Irish children was unveiled today, as the Government pledged €24m to research which is expected to influence future social policy.
The Growing Up in Irelandresearch project is the first longitudinal study to be carried out in the State, the initial phase of which is planned to span a seven year period.
I hope that they take pride in knowing that they are contributing to a ground-breaking study
Co-organised by researchers at the Economic Research Institute of Ireland (ESRI) and Trinity College Dublin, the Government-backed initiative was announced by Minister for State at the Department for Health and Children Brian Lenihan and is set to begin in the next few weeks.
The project, which aims to paint a complete picture of children in Ireland today, will follow the progress of 18,000 children in two separate groups of 8,000 nine-year-olds and 10,000 nine-month olds.
The nine-year-old cohort will be selected randomly from the National School system, with work set to begin immediately. Information about these children's lives will be collected from the children themselves, their parents, school teachers and principals.
The group will then be revisited in four years' time when the children are 13-years-old to collect new information on how their lives have changed and on their development and well-being. Research on the 10,000 nine-month-old babies will begin by the end of 2007, and these children will be revisited when they are three-years-old.
Combined, the data collated from the confidential study is expected to contribute to the development of government policy in the areas of education, healthcare, social welfare and family support.
Speaking at today's launch, Mr Lenihan said the success of the study was dependent on the cooperation and involvement of primary schools and thousands of families across Ireland.
"I would urge all selected schools and families to participate in the study. I hope that they take pride in knowing that they are contributing to a ground-breaking study which will benefit present and future generations of Irish children.
The Minister also welcomed the formation of the Children's Advisory Forum (CAF), a children's committee, consisting of groups of children aged eight to ten years across 12 schools throughout the country, set up to represent the voice of children within the study.
Echoing the Minister's sentiments, Prof Sheila Greene, co-director of the research project and director of the Children's Research Centre at Trinity College Dublin, said: "the study participants, including the children, their parents and schools, are our most precious resource and this is a unique opportunity for them to take part in something very special".