Ireland's children receive a pass mark in terms of child welfare, according to a recent UN report.The research proved that family structure had a significant impact in outcomes for children. While it said that “plenty of children in single-parent families...are growing up secure and happy” ,it also acknowledged that “at the statistical level there is evidence to associate growing up in single-parent families and stepfamilies with greater risk to well-being”.
Risks mentioned in the report included a greater risk of dropping out of school, of leaving home early, of poorer health, of low skills and of low pay.
Furthermore, the study went on, “such risks appear to persist even when the substantial effect of increased poverty levels in single-parent and stepfamilies have been taken into account”.
Carried out by UNICEF, the UN body with responsibility for children, the study showed Ireland half way down the league table in terms of children's quality of life.
The UK and the US are the worst places for children and the Netherlands and Sweden are the best, according to a report on 21 industrialised countries which comprise the Organisation of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).
Ireland did slightly better than average in regards to the percentage of children living in single-parent families, the study said. Just over 10 per cent of Irish children live in single parent families, as compared to an average rate of 12.2 per cent among the OECD. By comparison, the equivalent British figure is almost 17 per cent.
However, Irish children are considerably less likely to live in stepfamilies compared to others living in Western countries. Over 8 per cent of children in the OECD live in stepfamilies, while the equivalent Irish figure is 3 per cent. The equivalent figure in Britain is 14 per cent, while in the US it is 16 per cent.
Other indicators of well-being measured by the report included educational achievement, relative poverty and health and safety.
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