Irish children feel that their parents are too busy to spend enough quality time with them… and the absence could be affecting their health.
Those were the findings of a major new study into the factors that improve children’s wellbeing, conducted as part of the preparation of the National Obesity Policy.
A collaboration between researchers at University College Cork and the Citizens Participation Unit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the report will be published later this month by Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone.
The team spoke to children in two age groups, aged between eight and 12 and 13 to 17.
According to an extract from the final report, seen by the Irish Independent, primary and secondary pupils feel “no one is listening to children’s opinions”.
They also feel that their parent’s hectic work schedules leave little time for getting to know their children properly and that their health could be damaged by their parents “not being there” as often as they should.
Older students were critical of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) module taught in secondary schools, while many felt more choice should be offered in terms of Physical Education, where team sports still make up the bulk of the options available.
