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About the Children and Young People Research Cluster
The ISS21 Children and Young People (CYP) research cluster is an evolving network of academics, graduate students, researchers and practitioners within UCC, who aim to collaborate, promote awareness and disseminate research with and for children and young people. The cluster brings together researchers with an interest in research with children and young people, from a wide range of disciplines, including Applied Psychology, Applied Social Studies, Computer Science, Education, Geography, History, Law, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Occupational Science, Occupational Therapy, Paediatrics and Child Health, Pharmacy and Sociology.
The CYP cluster is committed to research which:
- recognises the diversity of childhood, that values a whole-child perspective, that is concerned with agency and well-being
- encompasses issues affecting children and young people from a ‘whole-child’ perspective, at all stages of life from infancy and early childhood to young adulthood;
- employs a wide range of research methods, but places particular emphasis on methods that promote the active participation of children and young people;
- is underpinned by a commitment to the principles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child;
- seeks to influence academic debates, professional practice and policy-making locally, nationally and internationally.
Cluster Aims and Objectives
- To support research being conducted in UCC on/with children and young people and particularly research which facilitates children and young people as collaborators / active participants
- To promote and develop a research environment conducive to interdisciplinary research on / with children and young people
- To create intellectual collaborative spaces where cluster members can disseminate research findings, share research methodologies and discuss / debate issues pertaining to children and young people’ s lives
- To share research findings with relevant state agencies, child and youth representative organisations, relevant civil society groups and other stakeholders as appropriate
- To build local, national and international research, policy and practice collaborations and partnerships conducive to improving the lives of children and young people.
Cluster Events
The Children and Young People research cluster hosts regular events at which ISS21 members and invited speakers can present their work. Highlights from recent years include:
Early Years Inquiry: Emerging Perspectives from PhD Scholars, 3 Mar 2026
Seminar on early years research hosted by the ISS21 Children and Young People Research Cluster and UCC Futures Children
Fostering text comprehension as a way to make learning and thinking visible. 21 Oct. 2025.
Presentation by Agnese Vezzani, Research Fellow, University of Modena and Reggio. Cluster seminar co-hosted with UCC Futures - Children.
Reading and Writing Pathways through Children’s and Young Adult Literature, 18th March 2025.
Presentation by Dr. Alicia Curtain, School of Education, University College Cork. Hosted by the ISS21 Children and Young People Research Cluster and UCC Futures - Children.
Growing Up In Ireland (GUI) Data Workshop, 26 February 2025.
Dr. Eoin McNamara (Depart. of Children Equality Disability Integration and Youth) presented a workshop on the Growing Up In Ireland study methodology and data set. Hosted by the ISS21 Children and Young People Research Cluster & UCC Futures – Children.
Making Space for Play in Irish Schoolyards, 28th November 2024
Dr. Michelle Bergin presented a paper on the “Making Space for Play in Irish Schoolyards” project, which aims to evaluate existing provision for children’s right to play in diverse schoolyards in an Irish context to inform how we can best support schools to create conditions for all children to play. Hosted by the ISS21 Children and Young People Research Cluster & UCC Futures – Children.
The State of Play - UNCRC, Article 31, 23rd May 2024.
Theresa Casey and Marguerite Hunter Blair to discuss the background of General Comment No. 17 and a Scottish perspective on incorporating the right to play in Scottish law in 2024. Hosted with UCC Futures: Children and the P4Play Joint Doctoral Network Programme.
Perspectives of hearing children of deaf parents & their exposure to deafness stigma, 10 May, 2024.
The ISS21 Children and Young People Research Cluster, in collaboration with UCC Futures: Children, hosted a seminar with Dr Noel O’Connell, PI of the CODA (Children of Deaf Adults) Project.
Details on earlier cluster events are available at: CYP Events
Research Projects
ISS21 research projects linked to the themes of the Children and Young People cluster include:
CODA: A Hidden Minority Amongst the Majority (2023-2028)
TARA Project Trauma, Attachment, Resilience into Action (2022-2025)
Youth Volunteering: building capacity for the future (2022-2023)
Babbling Babies Experiences of an Early Communication and Literacy Programme for Infants (2021-2022)
YOUNGCARERS Sharing the Caring: Young Carers Access to and Experience of Carer Supports in Ireland (2021-2022)
TEENT1D Teenagers Transitioning to the Self-Management of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D): Exploring Day-to-Day Experiences and Developing Social Supports (2021-2022)
IMMERSE Integration Mapping of Refugee and Migrant Children in Schools and other Experiential Environments in Europe (2018-2022)
P4PLAY - People, Place, Policy and Practice for Play (2020 - 2024)
MusConYP Music Consumption and Young People’s Negotiation of Space in Direct Provision: An A/r/tographic Inquiry (2019-2021)
Childcare Proceedings in the District Court
Community parks and playgrounds: inter-generational participation through Universal Design (2017-2018)
Making Communion (2012 - 2013)
Children and Housing Estate Regeneration (2012 - 2013)
Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Children (2012 - 2013)
Irish Child Abuse Inquiries in Social/Cultural Context (2012 - 2013)
Seen and Not Heard? The lived realities of children and young people’s participation in Ireland in their homes, schools and communities(2012 - 2013)
Reimagining Initial Teaching Identity and Learning (2012 - 2013)
Volunteer-led Youth Work (2012 – 2013)
Transnational Childraising (2010-2013)
Cluster Membership
For a list of cluster members, please click on the following link: Cluster Members
New cluster members are always welcome. Please contact cluster leaders Dr. Deirdre Horgan (D.Horgan@ucc.ie) and Dr Helen Lynch (h.lynch@ucc.ie) or the ISS21 Research Coordinator (m.scanlon@ucc.ie).
Members of the CYP Cluster at the Cluster Research Showcase, 2019
Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century (ISS21)
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