The views and perspectives of children aged 8-11 years old of their out of school hours childcare

: a small-scale participatory research study in Ireland

Abstract

In the context where Government investment and development continues into school age childcare in Ireland for children who require childcare when parents work, this study seeks to hear their views and perceptions of children aged 8-11 years who attend formal out of school hours childcare. Informed by the conceptual framework of the sociology of childhood and using participatory research methods, twenty-one participants aged 8-11 years engaged in focus groups and nine children participated in a Children’s Research Advisory Group. The research took place in the children’s childcare settings over a five-month time frame. Findings revealed the complexities of family life for working parents with children and for the children involved in this study that their rights under the Convention of the Rights of the Child are not upheld in formal out of school hours services. The implications of the findings require a rethinking of current government policy for the investment and development of out of school hours childcare services in Ireland.

Date of Award	Dec 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Supervisor	Mandi MacDonald (Supervisor) & Lesley Emerson (Supervisor)