Kids' Life and Times Survey

All too often the opinions of children are ignored when decisions are made about many of the issues involving them. In 2008, ARK researchers at the two Northern Ireland universities established the Kids' Life and Times survey to give children a voice and an opportunity to help influence policies that affect them.

The Kids’ Life and Times survey is an annual survey of all Primary 7 children in Northern Ireland covering what they think about school and other issues important to children today. The majority of the children will be 11 years old when they participate in the survey and at the end of their primary school years. This is an important stage in a child’s life and the survey is an affirmation of his or her capacity to reflect on their lives and their school years to date.

By inviting respondents to suggest topics for the next year's survey, we make sure that the issues covered are relevant to the lives of children in Northern Ireland today.

The surveys take place every year, and funders have included the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, Psychology Research Institute (University of Ulster), Department of Education for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, and the Improving Children's Lives initiative (Queen's University Belfast). Contact details of schools are supplied by the Department of Education.