INTRODUCTION
Improving information
National Data Strategy on Children’s Lives
There is recognition that additional development of information, knowledge and understanding
of children’s lives is required, particularly for setting out a strategic approach. Within the recent
social partnership agreement Towards 2016 (Department of the Taoiseach, 2006), there is an
explicit commitment to the development of a National Data Strategy on Children’s Lives and
this is being led by the OMCYA. Other Government departments are also in the process of
developing data strategies for their own departments, many of which will include information
on children. Some have already done so, for example, the Department of Education and Science
published its Data Strategy 2008-2010 earlier this year.
The aim of the National Data Strategy on Children’s Lives will be to set out an overarching strategic roadmap for the identification, collection, compilation and dissemination of data, which will facilitate the utilisation of good quality, easily accessible, internationally comparable information about children in Ireland and ultimately improve the lives of all children in Ireland. A multi-phase approach is being adopted to the development of the National Data Strategy on Children’s Lives and includes the following components:
- background review of the literature on key issues (in association with the Health Promotion Research Centre, NUIG);
- description and analysis of current data available on children’s lives in Ireland;
- identification of data gaps to meet current and future data needs;
- in-depth examination of data usage in practice (in association with the Health Promotion Research Centre, NUIG);
- consultation with key stakeholders, including children and young people.
The National Data Strategy will also incorporate elements of the OMCYA-led knowledge management strategy, which will identify practical actions for HSE front-line practitioners and managers to take in order to better access and use information and knowledge around the area of child welfare and protection.
Research and information database
The website www.childrensdatabase.ie was created by the OMCYA to provide access to research
and information on children for policy-makers, Government departments, academics, voluntary
organisations and the general public. The website comprises:
- Irish Government policy documents;
- annotated websites, including a collection of databases, specialist libraries, Irish, European and international resources, including, for example, e-journals, data sources, libraries and information gateways, Policy Documents Database and National, European and International Children’s Observatories, Documentation Centres and Research Dissemination Units.
This State of the Nation’s Children report will be made available in an accessible format on the website www.childrensdatabase.ie.
HealthStat and HealthAtlas
Other recent and ongoing developments within the Health Service Executive (HSE) will also
make a substantial contribution to improving information about children’s lives. Two of the
most significant developments are HealthStat and HealthAtlas. HealthStat is an integrated
statistical system that draws from a comprehensive pool of internal and external data within the
HSE. Although its overall purpose is to support continuous improvements in the HSE services,
so that the right care is delivered by the right people at the right time and in the right place,
undoubtedly information arising from it will assist in deepening our understanding of children’s
lives.
This is also the case with HealthAtlas, which exploits the potential of integrating geographical information system technologies, health datasets (e.g. Vital Statistics, Hospital In-Patient Enquiry, National Perinatal Reporting System) and statistical computations in a web-enabled and open source environment. This will provide role-based access to ‘health mapping’ across the sector in support of service planning, epidemiology, emergency responding and research. Seed funding for this development was provided by the Health Research Board and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre of the HSE.