Teenagers cared for by relatives have fewer friends, research suggests

At 13, young people tend to spend more time with peers rather than their families and the kinds of social activities they engage in change, the study noted. File picture

Those cared for by relatives at age 13 tend to have fewer friends and close friendships than their peers, research from the ESRI suggests.

Newly-published research examines patterns of afterschool care as well as outcomes for children at age nine and 13 in Ireland over a 10-year period.