TECHNICAL REPORTNUMBER 1

Growing Up in Ireland
National Longitudinal Study of Children

CHILD COHORT - Qualitative Study
Technical Report on the 9-Year Qualitative Study

Growing Up in Ireland
National Longitudinal Study of Children

TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE
9-YEAR QUALITATIVE STUDYElaine Harris, Sheila Greene, Brian Merriman

Name

Title

Institution

Elaine Harris(formerly) Research Fellow, Children’s Research Centre

TCD

Sheila Greene

AIB Professor of Childhood Research; Director of Children’s Research

TCD

Centre and Co-Director, Growing Up in Ireland
Brian Merriman

Research Fellow, Children’s Research Centre

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do notnecessarily reflect the views of the funders or of either of the two
institutions involved in preparing the report.

TCD

GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORT

Copyright © Minister for Health and Children, 2011
Department of Children and Youth Affairs
Dún Aimhirgin
43-49 Mespil Road
Dublin 4
Tel: +353 (0)1 647 3000
Fax: +353 (0)1 647 3101
E-mail: omc@dcya.gov.ie
Web: www.dcya.ie

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission inwriting of the copyright holder.
For rights of translation or reproduction, applications should be made to the Head of Communications, Departmentof Children and Youth Affairs, Dún Aimhirgin, 43-49 Mespil Road, Dublin 4

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GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORTTABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Aims of the Study
1.3 Methodology

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CHAPTER 2 - SAMPLE DESIGN
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Sampling Approach
2.3 Response Rate
2.4 Sample Profile
2.5 Age and Gender of Children
2.6 Family Structure
2.7 Geographical Spread of the Sample
2.8 Socio-Economic Status
2.9 Diversity among the Children

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CHAPTER 3 - METHOD
3.1 Design of the Qualitative Protocols
3.2 Domains of the Qualitative Study
3.3 Methods used during the Child’s Interview
3.3.1 Ice-breaker activities
3.3.2 Draw-and-write technique3.3.3 Visual prompts
3.3.4 Activities & worksheet exercises
3.3.5 ESSAY WRITING
3.4 Methods used during the Parents’ Interview
3.4.1 The photographs

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CHAPTER 4 - DATA COLLECTION
4.1 Fieldwork
4.2 Administering the Interview

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CHAPTER 5 - DATA ANALYSIS
5.1 Data Management
5.2 Analysis Methodology

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CHAPTER 6 - THE DATA FILE
6.1 The Structure of the Data File
6.2 Numeric Codes
6.3 Preparation of the Interview Transcripts for the Data Archive
6.4 Preparation of the Visual Data for the Data Archive
6.5 Research Field Notes

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CHAPTER 7 - SUMMARY
7.1 Summary

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REFERENCES

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APPENDICES

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GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORT

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

4GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORT

1.1 BACKGROUND
Growing Up in Ireland is the national longitudinal study of children in Ireland, launched in 2006. The
study is funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, in association with the Department
of Social Protection and the Central Statistics Office. The main aim of the study is to describe the livesof two representative samples of children in Ireland and how they are developing in the current social,economic, and cultural environment. This information will be used to assist in policy formation and in
the provision of services which will ensure that all children will have the best possible start in life. The
study incorporates a mixed methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative methods,
to gain a holistic understanding of children’s lives in Ireland.
The first phase of the study extends over seven years and follows the progress of two groups ofchildren: 8,500 nine-year-olds and 11,100 nine-month-olds. During this time two sweeps ofquantitative data are conducted with each group of children. Smaller-scale qualitative studies, eachinvolving 120 families drawn from the main cohorts, take place shortly after each sweep. The
information presented here focuses on the first wave of qualitative research conducted between April
and August 2008 with a sample of 120 families from the nine-year cohort of Growing Up in Ireland.

1.2 AIMS OF THE STUDY
Growing Up in Ireland has nine stated objectives, as follows:
1. to describe the lives of children in Ireland, to establish what is typical and normal as well as
what is atypical and problematic;
2. to chart the development of children over time, to examine the progress and well-being ofchildren at critical periods from birth to adulthood;
3. to identify the key factors that, independently of others, most help or hinder children’sdevelopment;
4. to establish the effects of early childhood experiences on later life;
5. to map dimensions of variation in children’s lives;
6. to identify the persistent adverse affects that lead to social disadvantage and exclusion,educational difficulties, ill health and deprivation;
7. to obtain children’s views and opinions on their lives to inform policy-making;8. to provide a bank of data on the whole child; and9. to provide evidence for the creation of effective and responsive policies and services forchildren and families.

The conceptual framework adopted by Growing Up in Ireland emphasises children’s connectedness
to the world in which they live. The study embraces a dynamic systems perspective founded upon fiveinsights from different disciplines: ecology, dynamic connectedness, probabilism, period effects, andthe active role or agency of the child in the developmental process. The bioecological model proposed
by Urie Bronfenbrenner is a key tool in operationalising this perspective. This model highlights theimportance of considering the multi-faceted and multi-layered nature of the influences ondevelopment over the life course (Bronfenbrenner, 1979, 1993; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006).
Growing Up in Ireland also embraces the whole-child perspective which is central to the National
Children’s Strategy (2000). Accordingly, in approaching the design and conduct of the study, anattempt is made to see each child as a person, not just as an aggregate of variables and outcomes.
To emphasise this conceptualisation of children and in recognition of children’s agency in their own
lives, the qualitative study gives a more rounded picture of the children as individuals to get a stronger
sense of the complexity and diversity of each child’s experience of the world. The whole study is childcentred in that child issues and child outcomes are the primary focus.

5GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORT

1.3 METHODOLOGY
A total of 120 families from the nine-year cohort participated in the first data-collection wave of thequalitative study. The sample is not representative of all nine-year-olds in Ireland; hence it cannot be
claimed that the qualitative sample is speaking for all children. However, the sample selected was
drawn from the 8,500 child respondents in the quantitative study forming the nine-year-old cohort,with reference to the characteristics of the achieved sample. The sample was purposive and stratified
according to socio-economic status, gender, urban/rural location and family type. The sampling
design is discussed in more detail in section 2 of this report.
The qualitative study with children and their parents complements the findings of the quantitative
study by exploring further the same key domains. The qualitative component maps the quantitative
domains by focusing on the child’s experiences and perspectives in relation to: Wellness, Health andPhysical Development; Child Functioning; Child Relationships; Growing Up; Family and Parenting;and Community, Neighbourhood and Sense of Citizenship. The interviews with the parents centre on
the following themes: their perception of their child; parent and child relationship; being a parent in
Ireland; use of services; family decision-making; and concerns and aspirations for their children.
The schedule developed for the qualitative study consisted of two components: one interview for thechildren and one for the parents. The selection of methods was informed by the literature review(Harris & Greene, 2011) and guided by an advisory panel of experts in qualitative research. In
addition, a panel of children established by Growing Up in Ireland, the Children’s Advisory Forum(CAF), was involved in the design and selection of the methods. The CAF is made up of 84 children
who sit on 12 committees in schools across Ireland. The developmental appropriateness of themethods was tested by the CAF and through pre-pilot and pilot assessment.
The child’s interview was semi-structured and designed to be both interesting and enjoyable for thenine-year-old participants, while also gathering important information for the study. A variety ofprompts and game-like elements were interspersed with the interview questions. To cater for children
with diverse abilities, a mixture of visual and verbal methods was also employed. Photographs takenby the family specifically for the study were used as prompts throughout the interviews with theparents. Bearing in mind the longitudinal nature of the study, the methods chosen captured thechildren’s and parents’ current views and experiences and their anticipation of life when the child is
13, the age at which they will be interviewed again as part of Growing Up in Ireland. The qualitative
protocols are outlined in section 3 of this report.

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GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORT

Chapter 2
SAMPLE DESIGN

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GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORT

2.1 INTRODUCTION
A total of 120 families from the nine-year cohort participated in the first wave of data-collection for thequalitative study. This section describes the sampling approach that was adopted for the qualitative
study with the nine-year old cohort and describes the profile of the achieved sample.

2.2 SAMPLING APPROACH
During the quantitative study, the families were invited to sign a consent form to have their names put
forward for selection into the qualitative sample. Almost two-thirds (65.9%) of the families forming thenine-year-old cohort (8,500 in total) gave their consent to be put forward for selection. Of thesefamilies, 158 families were selected and invited to participate in the qualitative study. An introductory
letter, information leaflet and consent form with prepaid envelope were sent to each of the families,
copies of which are included in Appendices R, T, and U in the Fieldwork Manual (Appendix 2). The
mail shot was followed up with a phone call to each family from a member of the research team.

2.3 RESPONSE RATE
Of the 158 families contacted, 120 families participated in the qualitative study, giving a response rateof 75.9%. Two of these families included nine-year-old twin siblings, both of whom were interviewed,
bringing the total number of child respondents to 122.

2.4 SAMPLE PROFILE
The qualitative sample was purposive and stratified, based on the characteristics of the main sample.
Stratification of the families in the qualitative study means that detailed case studies of children andtheir families with particular socio-demographic profiles could be developed, enriching the quantitative
findings relevant to such groups. As shown in Figure 2.1, the qualitative sample was stratified
according to socio-economic status (i.e. high, medium, and low-income), urban/rural location, andfamily type (i.e. one or two resident parents). The income status of one family was missing. The
largest category of children in the sample (17.2%) was a two-parent family with high income in a ruralarea. The breakdown of the sample across gender was 58 girls and 64 boys (N = 122).

Two Parent/Low Income/Urban

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7
4

Two Parent/Low Income/Rural

8

Two Parent/Medium Income/Urban

12

5

Two Parent/Medium Income/Rural

7
14

6

Two Parent/High Income/Urban

17

9

8
14

4

10

Two Parent/High Income/Rural10

One Parent/Low Income/Urban
One Parent/Low Income/Rural

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2

One Parent/Medium Income/Rural1

One Parent/High Income/Urban

1

One Parent/High Income/Rural

1
1
0

9

5

4

One Parent/Medium Income/Urban

11

9

2

21

11

4
4
3
4
3

2
5

10
Boys

15
Girls

20

Total

Figure 2.1: The qualitative sample classified across socio-economic status, rural/urban
location, family type and gender

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GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORT

2.5 AGE AND GENDER OF CHILDREN
The children were aged between nine and ten when they were interviewed for the qualitative study.
This interview took place within six months of the quantitative interview within the home. A total of 58(47.5%) girls and 64 (52.5%) boys participated in the study. These proportions are similar to thegender breakdown in the population.

2.6 FAMILY STRUCTURE
The qualitative sample included children from families with two parents resident and children fromfamilies with one parent resident. As shown in Figure 2.2, of the 122 child respondents, fewer than
three-quarters (70.5%) were living with two parents resident in the family home and almost one-third(29.5%) were living with one parent resident in the family home.

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

86

47
39

36
17

19

One Parent Resident

Two Parents Resident
Boys

Girls

Total

Figure 2.2: The qualitative sample classified across family structure and gender

2.7 GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF THE SAMPLE
Although the qualitative sample was purposive, it was not intended to be nationally representative.
However, as shown in Figure 2.3, children from 21 of the 26 counties were represented. Of the 122
children, 67 (55%) were living in rural areas and 55 (45%) in urban areas.

9GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORTCounty%Carlow
4.9
Cavan
1.6
Clare
3.3
Cork
16
Donegal 4
Dublin23
Galway 9.8
Kerry
2.5
Kildare12.3
Kilkenny 4.1
Limerick 1.6
Louth
1.6
Mayo
3.3
Meath
1.6
Offaly2.5
Roscommon 0.8
Sligo
0.8
Tipperary 4.1
Waterford 2.5
Wexford 0.8
Wicklow 2.5

Figure 2.3: The qualitative sample classified according to county
Figure 2.4 shows the qualitative sample classified across rural and urban areas and gender. The
same classification as used in the quantitative study was applied to the qualitative study. Children
were categorised as coming from an urban area if they lived in a town of a population of 10,000 or
more, or in one of the main cities: Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick or Waterford. Urban areas in the
county of Dublin were also included in this category. Families resident in country areas, villages ofbetween 200 and 1,499 people, and towns of between 1,500 and 9,999 people were categorised asliving in rural areas.
80
67

70

55

60
50
40

34

33

30
25

30
20
10
0
Rural

Urban
Boys

Girls

Total

Figure 2.4: The qualitative sample classified across rural and urban areas and gender

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GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORT

2.8 SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS
Annual income was taken from data collected in the Growing Up in Ireland quantitative study. Basedon the number of adults and children in the household and net annual income, equivalised income
was calculated. The equivalised income allows the comparison of living standards between
households that vary in size and composition. This adjustment reflects the fact that a family of several
people requires a higher income than a single person in order for both households to enjoy acomparable standard of living. This adjustment was broken down into three categories, as follows:
Low Income was up to €13,757.83; Middle Income was between €13,757.84 and €20,494.95; andHigh Income was €20,494.96 or more. As shown in Figure 2.5, over one-third of the children werefrom low-income families (36.3%), 29.7% from medium-income families and one-third (33.8%) fromhigh-income families. The income status of one family was unavailable.

50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

44

41
36
26

23

22
18

18
14

High Income

Medium Income
Boys

Girls

Low Income

Total

Figure 2.5: The qualitative sample classified across income

2.9 DIVERSITY AMONG THE CHILDREN
The children included in the qualitative sample were from a variety of backgrounds, taking into
account family structure, socio-economic status and geographical locations. Of the 122 children in the
study, the majority (97.5%) were from Irish backgrounds, including one child from the Traveller
community. Three children were from non-Irish backgrounds. Five children (4.1%) were experiencing
a chronic illness or disability. Nine children (7.3%) had a specific learning difficulty, including dyslexia,
autism, Asperger’s syndrome, dyspraxia, or a difficulty with visuo-spatial awareness. Ten children(8.2%) had someone in their immediate family with a chronic illness or disability and four children(3.3%) were living with a parent experiencing a mental-health problem.

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Chapter 3
METHOD

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3.1 DESIGN OF THE QUALITATIVE PROTOCOLSThis section describes the design of the qualitative study and the methods used to explore the key
domains with the nine-year cohort. A lengthy preparatory stage preceded the choice of researchmethods to ensure that the most appropriate methods were selected to address the researchquestions. This groundwork stage involved: the establishment of a panel of experts in qualitative
research; a review of qualitative research methods described in published research literature; theinvolvement of children in the design of methods through the Children’s Advisory Forum; pre-pilot andpilot testing, and refinement of methods. The research design was subject to approval by the National
Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland (NLSCI) Research Ethics Committee, and ethical approval
was obtained for both the pilot and main qualitative fieldwork.

3.2 DOMAINS OF THE QUALITATIVE STUDY
The areas explored in the qualitative study map onto the domains of the main quantitative study toprovide a deeper understanding of the children’s experiences of being nine years old in Ireland andtheir parents’ experiences of their parenting role. There were separate schedules for the child and theparents, each consisting of specific questions addressing the domains to be explored and probing
questions which were used where appropriate to explore responses in more depth. The order of thethemes was arranged so that potentially sensitive areas were placed later in the interview when it was
expected the child would feel more relaxed and comfortable talking to the interviewer. The qualitative
schedule is included in Appendix 1. An overview of the main themes explored in the interview with thenine-year-old child is provided below:
1. Wellness, health and physical development: What is children’s understanding of the factorsthat help or hinder them in being physically healthy? What feelings and interpretations do they
attach to being well or unwell? What is their understanding of physical development and theirperception of body image?
2. Child functioning: What is the children’s understanding of emotional development? How dothey recognise different emotions and feelings? What perception do they have of themselves
and their daily life? What hopes, fears and aspirations do they have?
3. Child relationships: How do the children perceive their relationships with friends? What is thechildren’s understanding of the factors that help or hinder the development of peer
relationships?
4. Growing up: What is the children’s understanding of growing up? How do they perceive thetransition from nine years to 13 years of age? How do they imagine they will be at age 13?
5. Family and parenting: What is the children’s understanding of their family’s dynamic, their roleand relationships within the family? What is their understanding of the role of a parent? What
do they perceive as positive parenting?
6. Community, neighbourhood and sense of citizenship: How do the children perceive their local
community and neighbourhood? What is their understanding of a positive community life in
Ireland? What aspects of life in Ireland do they enjoy and what would they like to change?
The parents were interviewed after their child and encouraged, where possible, to find a place for theinterview where they could not be heard by the child. The aim of the qualitative component withparents was to gain further understanding of what it is like being the parent of a nine-year-old childgrowing up in Ireland. Certain questions were addressed to both children and parents, including thoseon parent-child relationships, for example, while others were asked of either the child or the parents
only. The strategy allowed for the maximum range of data without over-burdening participants. The
themes that were explored in the parents’ interview include:
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1. Parents’ perception of the child: How do parents view their child’s personality, interests,
nature and temperament?
2. Parent-child relationship: What factors support or prevent the parents and child from doing
things together? What types of everyday activities do the child and parent do together? Whatplaces and spaces are important in their relationship?
3. Perception of being a parent: What is the parents’ understanding of being a parent in Ireland?
What rewards, difficulties or challenges do parents face? What supports do parents avail of tohelp them in their parenting role?
4. Family decision-making: How are decisions made in the family? What level of involvement, if
any, has the child in the decision-making process?
5. Parental concerns and aspirations for their children: What concerns do parents have for theirchildren at nine years of age and as they grow older? What do parents aspire for theirchildren as they grow up in Ireland? What are the hopes and dreams they have for them inthe future?

3.3 METHODS USED DURING THE CHILD’S INTERVIEW
The child’s semi-structured interview was designed to be both interesting and fun for the nine-year-old
participants, adopting a multi-method participatory approach, which allowed the children to express
themselves through a variety of alternative forms of communication. These techniques, each of which
is described below, included: ice-breaker activities, draw-and-write techniques, worksheets andexercises, visual and verbal prompts, and essay and letter writing. A copy of these visual methods isincluded with the qualitative protocol in Appendix 1.

3.3.1 ICE-BREAKER ACTIVITIESTwo ice-breaker techniques were used at the start of the child’s interview: “My Time Capsule” and “My
Passport”. Participants were first introduced to the concept of creating a time capsule. They were
provided with a poster tube and invited to create a time capsule in which to place all the products of
the activities, drawings and exercises created during the interview. The children were encouraged topersonalise their capsules using markers, crayons, and colouring pencils.
The children were also presented with the opportunity to create their own time-travel passport. For
this activity, they were asked to complete a blank passport card, where they filled in details of theirname, age and address, and listed the music, movies, food, colours and hobbies that they liked. They
also recorded the one thing they liked the most and the one thing they hated the most. Each child was
also invited to have their photograph taken by the interviewer, with an instant camera, to be put onto
the passport card.
These techniques were relatively undemanding for the children and served a dual purpose: first, toease participants into the study by generating non-taxing talking points, such as favourite food, andsecond, to help participants understand the longitudinal nature of the study, by explaining that aninterviewer would return at the next data-collection wave with the time capsule containing all theircompleted work sheets, including their passport, so that they could see what aspects of themselves
were different or still the same.
3.3.2 DRAW-AND-WRITE TECHNIQUE
The draw-and-write technique involved inviting children to draw or write a response to a question,rather than only reply verbally. The structure of the interview stressed the importance of allowing time
for the children to interpret the meaning and context of their drawings or written work. The technique
was used to explore various themes throughout the semi-structured interview with the child, including:
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wellness, health and physical development; child functioning; family and parenting; and community,neighbourhood and sense of citizenship. With regard to wellness and health, the children were invited
to write or draw those factors contributing to keeping them well or making them unwell. Further on in
the interview, the draw-and-write technique was again used under the domain of child functioning toelicit the child’s views around their hopes and fears for the future. The interviewer invited the child todraw or write their hopes and fears for the future on a “Wishes and Fears” list. To introduce the themeof family, the interviewer invited the child to draw a picture of or write down on a worksheet themembers of their family. To explore the domain of community, neighbourhood and sense of
citizenship, each child was invited to draw a picture or write down what the child liked and disliked intheir neighbourhood, which was then discussed in the interview.
3.3.3 VISUAL PROMPTS
Visual prompts such as pictures and photographs were used to aid the exploration of the following
themes with the children: wellness, health and physical development; child functioning; and family andparenting.
Pictorial images from the Children’s Body Image Scale (CBIS; Truby & Paxton, 2002) were used with
the nine-year-old children to approach the topic of physical development and body image. The CBISwas developed for use with children aged 7-12 years (Truby & Paxton). It involves two pictorial
scales, one depicting boys and one depicting girls, representing standard percentile curves for Body
Mass Index (BMI) for healthy children. The CBIS measures the accuracy of body-size perception byasking a child to select a body size most like their own from a range of picture-drawings of children of
known BMI and comparing the selection with the child’s actual BMI. Each child was asked to selectwhich picture represented what they believed to be the healthiest size for a nine-year-old boy or girl.
A series of six photographs illustrating facial expressions was developed to spark discussions with thechildren around feelings and to gauge a sense of their socio-emotional development and coping
strategies. The children were asked to write under each photograph what feeling they felt was being
depicted.
To explore the child’s perception of parenting, each child was shown a trigger picture depicting amagician’s wand. The child was then asked to imagine that he or she had special powers anddescribe any situations or rules at home that he or she might wish to change.
3.3.4 ACTIVITIES & WORKSHEET EXERCISES
Four worksheets were used during the children’s interviews to explore different domains. Each of thefour worksheets is discussed below.
The first worksheet, “My Hand”, was used to introduce the child to the theme of child functioning andexplore self-perception. Explaining the concept of hand- and fingerprints as being unique to anindividual, the interviewer invited the child to draw around his or her own hand on a blank worksheet
and write down a word for each finger that described who they were. The interviewer then asked thechild to interpret those words he or she had chosen.
The second worksheet was an adaptation of the widely used Cantril’s Self-Anchoring Ladder (Cantril,1965). This is a measurement technique that asks people to rate their present, past and anticipatedfuture satisfaction with life on a scale anchored by their own identified values. This measurement tool
has been previously modified for use with children to attempt to gauge children’s subjective well-being
in terms of their satisfaction with themselves and their lives (UNICEF, 2007; WHO, 2004). For the
purpose of our study, we created the “Life Ladder” worksheet. The interviewer described the conceptof the life-satisfaction ladder to each child, explaining that the top of the ladder, 10, represented thebest possible life for the child and the bottom, 0, was the worst possible life for the child. The children
were then asked to place a sticker on the rung of the ladder that they felt best described how their life
was at nine years of age. The interviewer then asked each child to explain the reasons behind his or
her choice.

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GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORTTo explore the child’s interests, hobbies and activities and to ascertain whether the child was involvedin structured or unstructured activities, the study team developed a visual chart, called “My Activities
Calendar”, in which the children could map the different extra-curricular and play activities they wereinvolved with each day of the week. The interviewer used the visual chart as a prompt to introduce anumber of questions from the interview schedule regarding play, activities, hobbies, peer relationships
and bullying.
The fourth worksheet used during the children’s interviews was another visual chart to look atchildren’s perception of their relationships with family members. The “My Family and Me” map was
adapted from the concept of the Five Field Map and the Ecomap (Egg, Schratz-Hadwich,
Trubswasser, & Walker, 2004; Mann & Tolfree, 2003; Sturgess, Dunn, & Davies, 2001; Hill, Laybourn,& Borland, 1996) as a visual prompt to explore children’s perception of their relationships andemotional closeness with family members. The map is comprised of five concentric rings with “Me” inthe centre. The “Me” in the centre represents the child. Each ring represents the degree of closenessand strength of relationship. As the rings move outwards from the centre, the degree of closeness andstrength of the relationship declines. The interviewer asked the children to think about theirrelationship with everyone in their family and map these relationships on the worksheet in terms of
their strength and closeness. Each child was then asked to explain the positions of family memberson the map.
3.3.5 ESSAY WRITING
During the interviews, data was collected from the children through two essay and letter writing
techniques. To explore their perceptions of growing up and becoming a teenager, the children wereasked to write a few sentences entitled “When I am 13 years old”. Once the child had completed theirwritten piece, they were asked to verbally interpret it.
The children were also invited to compose their own individual letter to the Minister for Children andYouth Affairs. Therein they were asked to describe what things that they, if they were in charge of thecountry, would do to make life better for children in Ireland. It was explained to the children that theminister might not have the opportunity to read the letter personally but that the study team would
compile all the ideas from the children’s letters in a report which would be submitted to the minister’s
office.

3.4 METHODS USED DURING THE PARENTS’ INTERVIEW
The parents of the children participated in a semi-structured interview. Both parents were interviewed
in 57 cases (47.5%), including the parents of both sets of twins; the study child’s mother only in 57
cases (47.5%), and the study child’s father only in four cases (3.3%); data from two parent interviews(1.7%) could not be analysed. The interviewers followed an interview schedule. The interview
included the use of photographs, as described below.
3.4.1 THE PHOTOGRAPHSIn the weeks prior to the interviewer visiting the children’s homes, each of the families was provided
with one disposable flash camera with 24 exposures. The parents and the child were encouraged towork together to use the camera to take photographs that they felt depicted something about theirrelationship. Suggestions included: everyday and/or special activities that they do together; barriers
preventing them for doing things together; places and spaces that were important in theirrelationships; future hopes and aspirations. Two copies of the photographs were developed, the firstfor the family to keep and the second copy for use during the interview. The photographs were shown
to the parents and they were asked to interpret each one. The technique served as a gentle icebreaker into the interview and also generated useful data that could be further explored throughout
the interview.

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Chapter 4
DATA COLLECTION

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4.1 FIELDWORKThe qualitative data were collected over a four-month period. Five interviewers conducted thefieldwork for the qualitative interviews with the nine-year cohort between April and August 2008. Eachof the interviewers was a psychologist or social science researcher with experience in researching theviews of children and families. The interviewers were vetted by the Garda Central Vetting Unit before
becoming involved in the study. Before the start of fieldwork, the study team provided training to eachof the interviewers in the ethics of carrying out research with children and handling and responding tosensitive issues that may arise during interviews. The study team also commissioned a specialist to
provide further training to the interviewers in child protection procedures, following Children First:
National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children (DOHC, 1999) and the ethicalguidelines of the Children’s Research Centre, TCD. The training manual provided to the fieldworkers
is in Appendix 2.

4.2 ADMINISTERING THE INTERVIEWAt the initial stage of the research process, the study team obtained informed consent from the child’s
parents and the assent of the child to participate in the study. The family’s right to withdraw from thestudy at any stage was respected. The interviews with the child and the parents took place in thechild’s home. Each interview was recorded using a digital dictaphone. Data generated from theinterviews included audio files, transcripts, field notes and visual data such as photographs andworksheets.
The interviews with the children were conducted by the interviewers in the presence of another adultfrom the household, consistent with the child protection procedures of the study. The length of time toadminister the child’s interview ranged from approximately 45 to 100 minutes. The length of eachinterview was dependent on a number of factors, including the child’s temperament – whether thechild was shy, confident, talkative, and so on – and their interest in drawing their responses. Wherechildren were shy and less verbal, the length of the interview was generally shorter (45 to 60
minutes). Some children were very interested in drawing and put much detail into their pictures, which
added to the length of parts of the interview. As the interviews were conducted in family homes, there
was some unavoidable interjection by other family members despite the efforts of the interviewers,
though none to an extent that seriously affected the interview.
The parents’ interview took approximately 30 minutes. In the case of two-parent families, both parents
were invited to be interviewed together. The interviewers were asked to be flexible when making
appointments to encourage the participation of both parents.

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Chapter 5
DATA ANALYSIS

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5.1 DATA MANAGEMENT
Each of the child and parent interviews was fully transcribed by the research team and additional
experienced transcribers who were sourced to help manage the volume of data. All transcribers werevetted by the Garda Central Vetting Unit before becoming involved in the study. The fulltranscriptions, field notes, observations and materials generated during the interviews formed thedataset for analysis. For data management, the study team used the NVivo software package (QSR,2009).

5.2 ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY
The principal aims of the qualitative study were: to complement the findings emerging from thequantitative study, to document the complexity and diversity of children’s and their families’ lives, andto address policy-relevant questions that cannot be addressed within the larger survey. To achievethese aims, the qualitative study adopts a complementary strengths stance on mixed methods,
whereby the studies address different aspects of the same questions. The analysis of the qualitativeinterviews was informed by the literature review of the study domains, by the results of thequantitative study, and by emerging themes in the dataset.
A combination of inductive and deductive coding was used. The coding structures were based on the
topics covered by the interview schedules, which map onto the domains of the study. The questions
asked of the participants were framed by the ecological perspective of child development and the
hypotheses derived from the literature about what influences children’s lives and the course of theirdevelopment. Each interview was analysed by topic; thematic analysis entailed the examination ofdata to identify patterns in respondents’ behaviours or responses, which were coded as emerging
themes.
Throughout the data analysis process, the research team has endeavoured to be reflexive and tocritically examine the strengths and weaknesses of the data which will inform the next wave of thequantitative study, with the children at 13 years of age, and the subsequent qualitative study. Eachmember of the research team has been encouraged to examine their interpretive biases andreactions to the data.

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Chapter 6
THE DATA FILE

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6.1 THE STRUCTURE OF THE DATA FILE
Data generated from the child and parent interviews included audio files, transcripts, field notes andvisual data such as photographs and worksheets. The archived data include anonymised versions of
the full interview transcripts and the visual data, that is, the photographs, worksheets and drawings
generated by the children that do not contain identifying information.

6.2 NUMERIC CODES
A unique archive code has been attached to the data generated by each family. The same code isused for data generated by the child or the parents in each family. It is possible to obtain a code
cross-reference file to link the qualitative data, which has been lodged in the Irish Qualitative Data
Archive (IQDA), with the quantitative data archive housed in the Irish Social Science Data Archive(ISSDA).

6.3 PREPARATION OF THE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS FOR THE DATA ARCHIVE
To prepare the data for the archive, a number of variables in the qualitative dataset have been
anonymised to ensure that an individual respondent or family cannot be identified from the qualitative
data. The study team has followed the Irish Qualitative Data Archive (IQDA) anonymisation protocols,
which are included in Appendix 3. The general approach to the anonymisation of the data, in line with
the IQDA anonymisation protocols, means that:All major identifying data were removed, including names, places, companies andoccupational details, ages, time points, identifiable incidents, medical conditions and otherdisorders and disabilities, and positions in social and sports organisations. These data were
replaced with pseudonyms where appropriate or with descriptions that reflect the function of
the original text in the context of the transcript.



As recommended by IQDA, the NUTS 3 regional divisions have been used to replace specificgeographical locations such as villages, towns and counties (Appendix 4).

The study team has followed the IQDA guidelines regarding highly sensitive information. For
example, sensitive data which might expose participants to legal action or place them at riskof harm, scandal or ridicule have been removed.



There were a small number of cases which, even after the removal of these data, could still
have been identifiable, so these cases are not included in the archived dataset.

6.4 PREPARATION OF THE VISUAL DATA FOR THE DATA ARCHIVE
The visual data generated by the children have also been anonymised. Potentially identifying
material, such as the photograph on the “Passport” or a cousin’s name, was obscured. The following
categories of anonymised visual data generated by the children have been digitalised and areavailable in the data archive:“My Passport” worksheet
The Children’s Body Image Scale“My Hand” worksheet
Feeling Cards (1-5)
The Life Ladder
Wishes and Fears list
Activities Calendar“When I am 13” worksheet“Who is in my family” worksheet“My Family & Me” worksheet

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Magic Wand worksheet“My Letter to the Minister for Children”
Drawings

6.5 RESEARCH FIELD NOTESAll field notes relating to the interviews have been anonymised and any sensitive information
removed, following the same IQDA anonymisation protocols used in the transcripts, in order to beplaced in the archive.

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Chapter 7
SUMMARY

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7.1 SUMMARY
The purpose of this report is to describe in detail the design and methodology of the qualitative studyof the Child Cohort of Growing Up in Ireland. The focus is on the child-centred methods, reflecting
advances in qualitative methodology for children’s research. The qualitative study complements thequantitative study in developing a databank on children in Ireland.
The broad aim of the Growing up in Ireland study is to examine factors which contribute to or
undermine the well-being of children in contemporary families in Ireland. The output from the study is
expected to contribute to the formulation of effective policies and design of valuable services which
address issues pertinent to the lives of children and their families. The study is closely aligned to the
National Children’s Strategy, of which one of the principal aims is that children’s lives will be better
understood, and will benefit from evaluation, research and information on their needs and rights andon the effectiveness of services.
The sample design for the qualitative study was stratified for socio-demographic profiles which
informed the case studies. As detailed in section 1, the protocols for the qualitative study weredeveloped in consultation with a panel of experts in qualitative and children’s research as well as with
the Children’s Advisory Forum.
Interviews were conducted with 122 children and their parents in their homes. The interview
schedules covered each of the domains of Growing Up in Ireland while the open-ended questions
and child-centred activities ensured that participants could raise other issues during the interviews.
The methods of analysis had the flexibility to illustrate both what is typical in the experience of nineyear-olds and the unanticipated interests or concerns that children expressed.
The data from the qualitative study are archived with the Irish Qualitative Data Archive (IQDA).
Growing Up in Ireland is a legacy project that will provide a detailed picture of the lives of childrenstand families in the early part of the 21 century. Therefore, the archived data, giving the holistic andindividual descriptions that qualitative studies provide of the lives of the participants and their views on
matters of importance to them, are an invaluable resource for social science and social history
researchers.

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GROWING UP IN IRELAND • TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE 9-YEAR QUALITATIVE REPORTREFERENCES
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Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1993). The ecology of cognitive development. In R. H. Woznick & K. Fischer(Eds.), Acting and Thinking in Specific Environments. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Bronfenbrenner, U. & Morris, P. (2006). The bioecological model of human development. In R. M. V.
Lerner, W. Damon and R. M. S. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of Child Psychology, Vol. 1:
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Cantril, H. (1965). The pattern of human concerns: New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
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Egg, P., Schratz-Hadwich, B., Trubswasser, G. & Walker, R. (2004). Seeing Beyond Violence:
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Government of Ireland (2000). National Children’s Strategy: Our children – their lives. Dublin:
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Harris, E. & Greene, S. (2011). Qualitative Research Methodology: A review of the current literatureand its application to the qualitative component of Growing Up in Ireland. Dublin:
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Hill, M., Laybourn, A., & Borland, M. (1996). Engaging with primary-aged children about theiremotions and well-being: Methodological considerations. Children and Society, 10, 129-144.
Mann, G. & Tolfree, D. (2003). Children's participation in research: Reflections from the Care andProtection of Separated Children in Emergencies project. Save the Children Sweden.
QSR International (2009). NVivo (version 8.0.332.0) [computer programme]. Doncaster: Author.
Sturgess, W., Dunn, J. & Davies, L. (2001). Young children’s perceptions of their relationships withfamily members: Links with family settings, friendships and adjustments. The International
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Truby, H. & Paxton, S.J. (2002). Development of the Children’s Body Image Scale. British Journal of
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If you would like further information about
Growing Up in Ireland, please visit
www.growingup.ie
e-mail growingup@esri.ie
or freephone 1800 200 434