Cherishing all the children equally? brings together contributions from a range of disciplines to shed light on the processes of child development and to investigate how that development is influenced by a variety of demographic, family and socio-economic factors. Making extensive use of research and data that have emerged over recent years from the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal study of children, the book considers whether or not all children can participate fully and equitably in contemporary Irish society. It asks whether or not we do, in fact, cherish all our children equally in modern Ireland, regardless of their family circumstances, health or ethnic background.

Tables of contents:
1. Introduction
2. Changing perceptions and experiences of childhood, 1916-2016
3. Children and families, then & now
4. Is family structure a source of inequality in children’s lives?
5. Parental investment & child development
6. Inequalities in access to early care and education in Ireland
7. Inequalities from the start? children’s integration into primary school
8. Insights into the prevalence of special educational needs
9. The experiences of migrant children in Ireland
10. Social variation in child health & development: a life-course approach
11. Child access to GP services in Ireland: do user fees matter?
12. Anti-social behaviour at age 13
13. Child economic vulnerability dynamics in the recession
14. Concluding observations