2. Parenting in Northern Ireland: Policy and Practice Paula Devine Katrina Lloyd Alison Loughlin

3. NIHPS Wave 3 of the NIHPS (2003) Variable component (repeated every 3 to 5 years): –Children and parenting Respondents to this component: –All parents of children <16 –Each parent asked about each child living in the household (up to total of 6) Total responses: 1,629

4. Parent/child interaction Talking Praising Hugging Quarrelling Yelling Smacking Key Variables: –Gender of parent, gender and age of child

5. % Natural child97.2 Adopted child0.2 Foster child0.5 Step/partners child2.1 Table 1: Relationship of child to respondent

6. % SonsDaughtersAll Most days646765 More than once a week18 Less than once a week1279 Hardly ever788 Table 2: How often does the child talk to you about things that matter to the child?

7. FathersMothersAll Sons Age 4-7 697673 Age 8-11 617469 Age 12-15 355245 Daughters Age 4-7 758983 Age 8-11 587066 Age 12-15 435852 Table 3: % of children who talk to parent most days

8. % SonsDaughtersAll Very often717071 Sometimes262827 Seldom322 Never000 Table 4: How often do you praise the child?

9. FathersMothersAll Sons Age 0-3 758682 Age 4-7 798985 Age 8-11 447765 Age 12-15 356051 Daughters Age 0-3 869390 Age 4-7 739083 Age 8-11 557165 Age 12-15 355547 Table 5: % of children praised very often

10. % SonsDaughtersAll Very often687170 Sometimes20 Seldom766 Never534 Table 6: How often do you hug the child?

11. FathersMothersAll Sons Age 0-3 829691 Age 4-7 739083 Age 8-11 437563 Age 12-15 154735 Daughters Age 0-3 929796 Age 4-7 829388 Age 8-11 617067 Age 12-15 304942 Table 7: % of children hugged very often

12. % SonsDaughtersAll Most days292728 More than once a week211920 Less than once a week19 Hardly ever313533 Table 8: How often does the child quarrel with you?

13. FathersMothersAll Sons Age 4-7 304439 Age 8-11 282526 Age 12-15 122621 Daughters Age 4-7 274135 Age 8-11 163226 Age 12-15 112419 Table 9: % of children quarrelling most days

14. % SonsDaughtersAll Very often252224 Sometimes433940 Seldom202422 Never121514 Table 10: How often do you yell at the child?

15. FathersMothersAll Sons Age 0-3 151716 Age 4-7 303433 Age 8-11 242726 Age 12-15 193026 Daughters Age 0-3 172119 Age 4-7 172622 Age 8-11 153326 Age 12-15 132721 Table 11: % of children yelled at very often

16. Physical punishment Attitudes to physical punishment in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Omnibus Survey (2001) –34% of respondents said that physical punishment was acceptable Office of Law Reform consultation paper (2001) –89% of respondents said physical punishment effective –88% said physical punishment appropriate

17. % SonsDaughtersAll Very often222 Sometimes14711 Seldom292527 Never556661 Table 12: How often do you smack/slap the child?

18. FathersMothersAll Sons Age 0-3 565455 Age 4-7 354340 Age 8-11 575556 Age 12-15 677672 Daughters Age 0-3 646566 Age 4-7 4748 Age 8-11 706265 Age 12-15 848786 Table 13: % of children never smacked/slapped