Study to give snapshot of babies' lives

The second phase of a major national study aimed at providing a snapshot of the lives of children was launched today.

The Growing Up in Ireland study will chart the development of 10,000 babies, when aged nine months and again at three-years-old, and their parents.

The €26m Government-funded project will identify what factors affect children's health and well-being in order to shape future policy and services.

The launch coincided with the completion of the earlier in-depth study which focused on 8,500 nine-year-olds.

Minister for Children Barry Andrews said the research would create a picture of the lives of children and their families in a changing society.

"The study will provide a very fascinating insight into the way children are growing up in Ireland today," he said at the launch.

Experts hope to get a wide range of information on the lives of these children such as their health, habits, childcare arrangements and their parents' lifestyles.

The babies were chosen at random from the Child Benefit Register to participate in the confidential study.

The families of the infants will assessed over the coming year and be revisited by researchers for a further interview when their youngsters turn three.

Mr Andrews appealed to parents who are called upon to participate in the project to get involved.

"I would encourage all selected families to participate in the knowledge that taking part will be a rewarding experience and one which families can take pleasure in knowing that they are contributing to a ground-breaking study which will benefit present and future generations of children in Ireland."

Professor James Williams, co-director of the study, said while most parents were willing to take part, there was some reluctance among Traveller families.

"The ethnic breakdown reflected population figures," he said.

"However there was a lower representation among Traveller children."

The group of nine-year-old schoolchildren, along with their parents, teachers and principals, were interviewed in the initial stage of the study which began early last year.

All the information from this phase is currently being assessed and the findings are expected to be released early next year.

Researchers said the older group will be interviewed again at 13 years, and perhaps further into adolescence.

The project is being carried out by researchers from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Trinity College Dublin.