‘Social & emotional wellbeing’ of children affected by poor housing

Research has found that poor housing conditions affect children’s health significantly, as well as having a negative impact on their social and emotional wellbeing. 

A study carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, has discovered the worrying number of children under the age of nine being affected by poorer housing conditions and the impacts this has on their lives. 

ESRI used data on children born in 2007-2008 from the Growing Up in Ireland study to support their findings that “children living in inadequate housing and in more disorderly neighbourhoods have worse health and developmental outcomes at nine years old than their peers”.

At age nine, 75% of children lived in owner-occupied housing, 12% in social housing and 11% in the private rented sector. Just over 1% were living with their parents in their grandparents’ home.

Most of the nine-year-olds lived in accommodation that their parents thought was suitable to their needs, but 1-in-10 lived in unsuitable housing, mainly due to the size of the accommodation. 

19% were living in neighbourhoods that parents felt had higher levels of disorder, such as rubbish and vandalism.

Seven per cent of children spent persistent periods in homes that parents could not afford to keep warm, or were considered too small. 

Children who experienced longer exposure to poorer housing conditions had a large impact on their social and emotional development. These children faced more social and emotional difficulties due to living in homes that parents could not afford to keep warm, homes that parents considered too small, or because they lived in more disorderly neighbourhoods.

Children’s health can also be harmed by poorer housing conditions. Respiratory problems are more common for nine-year-olds who have spent more time living in houses that were damp, or in homes that were not adequately heated. 

The nine-year-olds who grew up in inadequately heated homes were also more likely to experience more accidents or injuries requiring medical treatment.

The Minister for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, spoke about the findings in this report. He explained, “This report is an important reminder that when we speak of housing or accommodation for children, we are speaking of their home, which is more than a place of shelter but somewhere essential to their wellbeing and that of their family”.

“The report has important policy implications across a number of Government departments, which reflects the fact that children’s wellbeing requires a whole of Government approach”.

O'Gorman continued, “Officials in my Department are currently progressing the development of a new strand of funding to tackle disadvantage in early learning and care services – whereby, services will be provided with a proportionate mix of universal and targeted supports for children and families accessing their services who are experiencing disadvantage”.