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Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) is the national longitudinal study of children and young people.
This important survey gathers data on the issues facing children and young people today.
Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) is an important national longitudinal study of families, children and young people. It follows the lives of 19,000 children and young people in Ireland.
Since 2008, the study has followed two cohorts of children aged 9 years (Cohort ’98, formerly referred to as the Child Cohort) and 9 months (Cohort ’08, formerly referred to as the Infant Cohort).
Currently, we are starting to survey families with new babies for the first time since 2008. This means GUI will now follow three Cohorts:
The GUI survey aims to gather information from families, children and young people about their lives in Ireland today.
To do this the survey includes questions on a wide range of topics. Details on family circumstances are collected in areas such as family structure, housing, work, health, education and relationships.
As the baby grows up, they too are asked about their thoughts and feelings on school, their teachers, friendships and their opinions.
At the very beginning of each of the cohorts the child is randomly selected and their parents/guardians are invited to take part.
Participants in these surveys help tell Ireland’s story of what life is like for parents, children and young adults at various stages of growing up in Ireland.
The facts that we gather through the GUI surveys will help to improve planning and decisions about services for children, young adults and their families such as:
As you can see, this survey is important. So, if you are invited to take part, please do. Help us tell Ireland’s story.
This group will be surveyed for the first time when they are aged 9 months, starting in September 2024. So, the children who take part will be born between January and December 2024.
This group were last surveyed in 2021/2022 when they were 13 years old, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. They will be surveyed again at the age of 17 and preparations are already underway to draw up the questions that will be asked at this important life stage.
This group were surveyed in 2023; the results should be available early in 2025.
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.