Children and Young People
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About the CYP 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:
Examining the effects of Graduate Trauma-informed Practice Education on Child Welfare Professionals, 19 March 2024
Dr Maria Lotty presented the findings of the TARA project, a study that evaluated the effects of a UCC graduate level trauma-informed care program developed for child welfare professionals.
Every Moment Counts: Promoting mental wellbeing and inclusion in Irish schools, 14 November 2023
Dr Susan Bazyk presented a paper on her innovative work in school inclusion, focusing on the Every Moment Counts programme.
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Early Years & Childhood Studies Conference, 10 March 2023
This one-day conference was hosted by the Early Years and Childhood Studies Programme, UCC, in conjunction with the Children and Young People Research Cluster.
Research Ethics and Ethical Approval Procedures in UCC, 1 December 2022
In this seminar, Dr Kenneth Burns, Deputy Chairperson of the Social Research Ethics Committee, provided practical guidance on applying for ethical approval for social research projects in UCC.
Young People's Inclusion in Public Policy-making in Portugal, the UK and Ireland, 18 Oct. 2022
The seminar was co-hosted by the ISS21 Research for Civil Society and Social Action (REACT) and Children and Young People research clusters.
Children's Research Advisory Groups: 'Who else would you ask?’ 29 March 2022
Co-hosted by they CYP Cluster, the PPI Ignite Network and the ISS21-affiliated P4PLAY project, this seminar explored a number of issues relating to child participation, including the policy context for child participation and children’s contribution to the development of national policy in areas which affect them. Details available here
Gender Stereotyping in 5–7 Year-olds and the Development of an Initiative to Combat Gender Bias, 12 January 2022
On 12 January 2022 the CYP Cluster hosted a seminar with Cormac Harris and Alan O’Sullivan, winners of the BT Young Scientists 2020 and the European Union Contest for Young Scientist 2021. They presented the findings of their study on the prevalence of gender stereotyping in 376 primary school pupils aged 5-7. Further details and a recording of the seminar are available here
Children's Daily Lives During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Participative Online Study with 7-to-9-year-olds from Germany, 21 Oct. 2021
In this seminar visiting scholar Iris Würbel (Freie Universität, Berlin) described the participative methodology used in her research on children’s daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, and presented some of the preliminary findings from the research. Further details available here
Moving Towards a Barnahus Model: Setting the Scene for an Integrated Response to Child Sexual Abuse in Ireland, Feb. 2021
On 22 February 2021 the CYP cluster hosted a seminar on the Barnahus model of service provision to children in sexual abuse cases, with presentations from Aoife O’Malley, Manager of Barnahus OneHouse Galway, and Fiona Geraghty, Principal Social Worker at the Family Centre in Cork. A recording of the seminar is available here
The Special Rapporteur for Child Protection in Ireland: Stories from the Field, December 2020
18 months on from his appointment as Special Rapporteur for Child Protection, Professor O’Mahony accepted an invitation from the ISS21 Children and Young People Research cluster to present a seminar to explain what the role involves, and share his experiences so far. The seminar was chaired by Dr Deirdre Horgan, co-convenor of the Children and Young People Cluster. A recording of the presentation is available at the following link: Special Rapporteur for Child Protection
Creative Research Methodologies with Children & Young People, October 2019
On the 24 & 25 October the ISS21 Children and Young People Research Cluster, in conjunction with the Children's Research Network, hosted a masterclass on creative research methodologies with children and young people. The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Kay Tisdall, School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh. Further details available here
Community, Urban Futures and Faith Belonging in Children's Art, June 2019
On the 11 June 2019 the Children and Young People Research cluster hosted a seminar on interfaith childhoods with guest speaker Anna Hickey-Moody, Professor of Media and Communication at RMIT University, Australia. Further details available here
Children & Young People Research Cluster Showcase, April 2019
In this showcase event, members of the CYP Research Cluster presented short papers on their on-going or completed research. A range of research topics were presented by colleagues from different disciplinary backgrounds including: the use of animation in children's research, the political socialisation of school children, the integrations of migrant children in schools, and the use of voluntary care arrangements in Ireland. Further details available here
Researching Children's Lives in a Digital Age, 5 September 2018
In September 2018, the Children and Young People Research Cluster hosted a seminar with visiting speaker, Dr. Liam Berriman, Lecturer in Childhood and Youth Studies at the University of Sussex, UK. Drawing on findings from a recent qualitative longitudinal study ('Everyday Childhoods'), this seminar reflected on the methodological and ethical issues that arise in researching children’s digital lives. Further details available here
Solidarity and Young People in Medellín (Colombia) 2 May 2018
In this seminar Yicel Nayrobis Giraldo Giraldo (University of Medellín, Colombia) spoke about her recently completed doctoral research on the ethical-political meanings of solidarity actions in young people from the city of Medellín (Colombia), especially involving young people living in areas affected by violence and poverty.
Human Rights Education in Children's Spaces, 20 March 2018
In this seminar Jonathan Todres presented some of the findings of his research on children’s rights. Focusing on the world of children’s literature, the seminar explored opportunities to partner with children in dialogues about human rights – their own rights and their responsibility to respect the rights of others. Jonathan Todres is Professor of Law at Georgia State University, Atlanta and a Fulbright Scholar at the School of Law, UCC during 2018.
In addition to the events listed above, the cluster hosts lunchtime seminars at which cluster members present their work. A list of presentations from recent years is available at: Children & Young People Cluster Seminars
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