Technical Paper on Social inclusion and access to care services in Ireland

February 14, 2019
Social Inclusion Technical Paper No. 9

A new ESRI study commissioned by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection examines who is most likely to have unmet needs for formal childcare and professional home care.

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The research uses data from over 5,000 households and over 13,000 individuals in the Irish Survey on Income and Living Conditions for 2016. Access to childcare is examined for families with children up to age 12 and access to home care is examined for households with a member who needs help because of illness or infirmity.

The research finds that unmet childcare needs are greatest among lower-class families, households in poverty, lone-parent families and families with an adult who has a disability. The most commonly reported reason for unmet childcare needs was unaffordability.  

Unmet home care needs are greatest among working-age families with an adult who has a disability. The most commonly reported reason for unmet home care needs was lack of availability of services.