A NEW GOVERNMENT report has highlighted data on the wellbeing of children in Ireland, including housing needs and those at risk of poverty.

The State of the Nation’s Children (SONC) Report for 2021, which is published biennially, presents key information on children’s health, behavioural and educational outcomes as well as their relationships with their parents and their friends. It also includes data on supports and services available to children.

According to the report, the number of households with children identified as being in need of social housing decreased by 46.7% between 2016 and 2020. However the number remains high, with 24,646 households with children on the list in 2020.

The report also noted that in 2020 13.2% of the population were considered to be at risk of poverty.

Some of the other key findings in the report include:

• In 2021 there were 1,191,125 children living in Ireland. This accounted for 23.8% of the total population.
• In 2018 31.1% of children aged 10-17 reported having been bullied at school in the past couple of months. This increased between 2014 and 2018.
• For the 2020/21 pre-school year there were 4,023 pre-school services under contract to deliver the ECCE Programme to 104,137 children. Of these pre-school services 39.0% met the basic capitation status and 61.0% met the higher capitation status.
• The Leaving Certificate retention rate for children entering secondary school in 2014 was 91.5% i.e. out of the 61,161 enrolled on 30 September 2014 in year one of the Junior Cycle, 55,992 sat the Leaving Certificate by 2019, or sat the Leaving Certificate or received a calculated grade in 2020.
• In 2018 76.8% of children were classified as being in the ‘normal’ weight category according to the International Obesity Taskforce Standards. 15.8% were classified as either ’overweight’ or ’obese’.
• In 2020 there were 5,205 children registered as having an intellectual disability.
• In Q4 2020 there were 14,654 child welfare and protection referrals to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
• In 2020 there were 5,818 children in the care of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
• In 2020 there were 168 births to mothers aged 10-17. In the four year period 2017-2020 the number of births to mothers aged 10-17 has decreased by 20.4%.
• In 2018 88.2% of children aged 10-17 reported being happy with their lives at present.

Publishing the report today, Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman said the information highlighted can be used by government and policymakers, but also wider society, to improve children’s lives in Ireland.

“The report compiles comprehensive up-to-date data on children’s wellbeing in an easily accessible format and is a valuable resource to policymakers, civil society, researchers, services, schools and colleges, parents and families, communities and indeed anyone interested in learning more about how children are faring in Ireland today,” he said.

“It provides us with the evidence base to consider how we can build on and improve better wellbeing outcomes for children and young people.”