OUT AND ABOUT : Irish Children’s Independent Mobility and the International Context

Presentation at MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE RESEARCH SEMINAR

September 2013

Children’s Independent Mobility in Ireland Dr. Brendan O’Keeffe Alanna O’Beirne

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Introduction

Methodology

Findings

Discussion

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

INTRODUCTION

Children’s independent mobility (CIM):

the degree to which children are allowed

to make trips to school, friends, shops

and

other destinations unaccompanied by

adults.

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

METHODOLOGY

SAMPLE

We surveyed over 2,200 children aged between 7 and 15 in 25 schools and almost 1700 parents / carers.

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

Primary Level

Second Level

0 100km

N

SURVEY RESPONDENTS by country

Total childTotal

adultCOUNTRY respondents respondents

Australia 892 689Brazil 993 636Denmark 1109 630England 1029 551Finland 821 821France 948 670Germany 805 579 Ireland 2223 1694Israel 1755 982Italy 807 792Japan 431 431Norway 3298 1227Portugal 1099 1099South Africa 984 556Sri Lanka 721 148Sweden 797 484

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

MOBILITY LICENCES

Children’s independent mobility was established by identifying whether or not children had been granted permission with regard to six ‘licences’.

If child was allowed to cross main roads alone. If, when going to places other than school that are within walking distance, the child is usually taken there or allowed to go alone.

If child travelled home from school alone. If child is allowed to go out alone after dark. If child is allowed to travel on local buses alone. If child is allowed to cycle on main roads alone.

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

IRISH FINDINGS:Licences

Primary Post PrimaryChildren Children

83.8% Allowed to cross roads alone 98.5%

10.6% Reported going home from school alone 12.2%

25.8% Allowed out after dark with friends 50%

8.8% Allowed use local buses 66%

92.7% Own a bicycle 87.9%

59.2% Allowed to cycle to go places without adults 89.9%

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

OVERALL RANKING - based on consideration of all six licences

COUNTRY Travels home Allowed to go Allowed to cross Allowed to cycle Allowed out Allowed travel from school alone within walking main roads alone on main roads after

dark on local buses distance

Finland 1 1 1 1 1 1Japan 3 3 3 2 5 4Germany 4 2 2 5

7 3Norway 2 5 5 3 3

5Sweden 6 4 6 7 2 2Denmark 7 7 10 4 4 6Israel 5 6 4 14 6 9Australia 10 9 8 8 13

8Brazil 8 8 13 9 8 10Portugal 12 13 9 10 9 7England 11 10 12 12 10 11Ireland 14 15 7 6 11

13 France 13 12 11 13 16

12 South Africa 9 11 14 16 14 15Italy 16 16 15 11 12 16Sri Lanka 15 14 16 15 14

16

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

OVERALL RANKING - based on consideration of all six licences

1. Finland 2. Japan 3.= Norway 3.= Germany 5. Sweden 6. Denmark 7. Israel 8.= Australia 8.= Brazil10. Portugal11.= Ireland

11.= England 13. France14. South Africa15. Italy

16. Sri Lanka

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

PROPORTION with licence

COUNTRY Travels home Allowed to go Allowed to cross Allowed to cycle Allowed out Allowed travel

from school alone within walking main roads alone on main roads after dark on local buses

distance

Finland 89.8% 91.1% 88.1% 69.9% 74.4% 65.3%Japan 88.4% 85.2% 77.5% 61.3% 26.9% 49.7%Germany 87.6% 87.9% 80.3% 40.8% 15.5% 59.4%Norway 89.2% 79.4% 74.0% 50.9% 50.4% 47.8%Sweden 85.1% 81.2% 73.1% 34.7% 56.8% 62.2%Denmark 70.8% 67.8% 58.7% 48.4% 30.5% 38.3%Israel 85.9% 67.8% 75.6% 18.1% 23.3% 25.7%Australia 54.9% 56.7% 70.5% 32.7% 5.7%

28.3%Brazil 60.4% 64.3% 50.5% 29.7% 13.7% 24.5%Portugal 47.2% 46.1% 62.1% 23.5% 12.3%

35.4%England 47.7% 50.6% 57.0% 20.5% 10.3%

24.1%Ireland 37.2% 45.7% 70.5% 37.1% 9.1%

18.5% France 46.1% 47.5% 57.9% 18.5%

3.1% 24.0%South Africa 57.7% 48.9% 49.3% 8.3% 4.9% 17.1%Italy 33.6% 36.5% 44.8% 21.3% 8.0%

9.7%Sri Lanka 34.5% 45.9% 30.4% 12.8%

4.1% 18.2%

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

PROPORTION with licence

COUNTRY Travels home Allowed to go Allowed to cross Allowed to cycle Allowed out Allowed travel

from school alone within walking main roads alone on main roads after dark on local buses

distance

Finland 89.8% 91.1% 88.1% 69.9% 74.4% 65.3%Japan 88.4% 85.2% 77.5% 61.3% 26.9% 49.7%Germany 87.6% 87.9% 80.3% 40.8% 15.5% 59.4%Norway 89.2% 79.4% 74.0% 50.9% 50.4% 47.8%Sweden 85.1% 81.2% 73.1% 34.7% 56.8% 62.2%Denmark 70.8% 67.8% 58.7% 48.4% 30.5% 38.3%Israel 85.9% 67.8% 75.6% 18.1% 23.3% 25.7%Australia 54.9% 56.7% 70.5% 32.7% 5.7%

28.3%Brazil 60.4% 64.3% 50.5% 29.7% 13.7% 24.5%Portugal 47.2% 46.1% 62.1% 23.5% 12.3%

35.4%England 47.7% 50.6% 57.0% 20.5% 10.3%

24.1%Ireland 37.2% 45.7% 70.5% 37.1% 9.1%

18.5% France 46.1% 47.5% 57.9% 18.5%

3.1% 24.0%South Africa 57.7% 48.9% 49.3% 8.3% 4.9% 17.1%Italy 33.6% 36.5% 44.8% 21.3% 8.0%

9.7%Sri Lanka 34.5% 45.9% 30.4% 12.8%

4.1% 18.2%

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

Parents’ travel patterns when children

15.4% of parents went to school by car (compared to 59% of primary school children in our survey)

60% of parents walked to school (PP 12.6% P 22%)

72% of parents reported that they travelled the same or longer distance then their children to get to school

IRISH FINDINGS:Generational differences

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

National report will be published shortly. We are going to continue to present at conferences, publish a number of papers on our findings and link with relevant stakeholders to contribute to developing policy in this arena.

The International Comparative Report will be launched later this month.

This will provide an overview of differences between countries, commentary on the differences, a set of case studies of policy and practice being used around the world to encourage children’s independent mobility.

Forthcoming developments

Children’s IndependentMobility in Ireland

There has been a notable decline in children’s freedom and independence.

Children’s safety has been won at the cost of their autonomy.

The rising trends in car ownership mirror rising levels of physical inactivity.

Children’s IndependentMobility in IrelandSOME IMPLICATIONS