Background Improving outcomes for children known to social services (including those in care and those receiving in-home support or child protection measures) is a key policy priority. Prior research suggests care experienced children have worse adult outcomes compared to peers across numerous domains including health, education, and employment. However, the majority of research is based outside the UK, uses small samples, and excludes children known to social services but never in care. Improved understanding of...

To date, there has been little combined data regarding the unique health and disability profile of school children in Northern Ireland and its relative association with social background, commonly depicted by socio-economic status (SES). Evidence suggests a gradient relationship between SES and health outcomes in children [1]. Children growing up in families with lower SES have greater likelihood of poor outcomes across a range of health domains, with childhood disability also shown to be socially...

This project looking at cohorts of cancer patients diagnosed between 2011-2015 compiled in a dataset by the NICR, and will be linked to the 2011 Census and therefore meets the longitudinal criterion required for a NILS project. The NILS and NICR have the full complement of data required to answer the research question in the census year 2011. The quality of staging, comorbidity, and treatment information in NICR has increased to sufficient levels in the...

Future demand across the school sectors (controlled, maintained and integrated) in Northern Ireland is a public policy issue that requires timely and accurate information. While the most recent currently available counts for the school population are derived from information collected at the Census 2001, a current understanding of differing fertility levels, and future school populations, by area of residence and community background would provide significant assistance to those determining planning for schools, and equality of...

Those aged 18 and under are in Northern Ireland entitled to have their oral care funded by the health service. This care is typically provided by general dental practitioners – independent contractors – who operate on a for-profit basis. While equal access to funding exists, because care is delivered by independent contractors there is no guarantee of equal access to care in the presence of equal need. Indeed, as evidenced by wide variations in registration...

This study will link data from the 2001 Census, the General Registrar’s Office and the Central Service Agency relating to NHS dental service use to explore measures of oral health status and variations in service use among children aged 10. It will compare measures of oral health based on decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) with those based on the state of first permanent molar teeth in children using CSA data. It will describe differences...

The numbers of people aged 65 and over in Northern Ireland is projected to rise markedly over the next 15 years. This will place additional burdens on the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Good evidence-based research will be required for the development of new community care services which this increase in older people will demand, however at the moment evidence on appropriate health and community care for older people is limited. It...