by Declan Jordan
The most recent edition of the Economic and Social Review (Spring 2014) contains a very interesting paper by Bryan Coughlan, Edel Doherty, Ciaran O'Neill and Brian McGuire on the relationships between minority status and social welfare status and child participation in sporting, cultural and community activities. The data comes from the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) survey and it finds that children from minority ethnic households and from households in receipt of social welfare payments participate less in structured activities, such as sports and cultural activities. The results of their estimation is shown below in full. Here it may be interesting though to focus on the second column which shows the determinants of participation in sporting activities. The GUI states that a child participates in sport where they are a member of a sport or fitness club, such as a gym, a GAA club, a soccer club etc. This means the survey doesn't capture all sporting activities such as those through school but this is a good measure none the less of structured activity.
Some of the findings include that children of non-Catholics are less likely to participate in sport though more likely to participate in community activities. Children born outside Ireland and that have lived in Ireland for less than 6 years are less likely to play sports, as are children of unemployed parents and where English is not the primary language spoken in the household. Children of mothers with higher education levels are more likely to play sports relative to children whose mothers have completed primary education. Boys are more likely to play sports, and less likely to participate in cultural and community activities.
There are differences in the types of structured activities in which children participate whether they live in towns or villages or in Dublin or other cities. Relative to children living in the open countryside, those in towns, in County Dublin and in Dublin City are less likely to play sport (and more likely to participate in community activities). This is a little surprising for me as I would have expected the availability of sports clubs is greater in towns and in the capital. Perhaps the availability of alternatives is driving lower sports participation as the study finds higher participation in towns and in Dublin in community activities, relative to those living in the open countryside. In a previous post John Eakins, using the Household Budget Survey, showed that urban households spent more on sports participation than rural ones. There may be classification issues around urban and rural though this suggests that urban households spend more but participate less. Perhaps it shows up a weakness in the GUI question on sports participation in that it shows only whether a child was a member of a club but not how many clubs or how much activity was undertaken. In urban areas children may have greater choice and so may play more sports (with more cost).
Children in wealthier households are found to be more likely to participate in sports (and the other structured activities). This is similar to another post by John Eakins on spending by household social status.
Some of the findings include that children of non-Catholics are less likely to participate in sport though more likely to participate in community activities. Children born outside Ireland and that have lived in Ireland for less than 6 years are less likely to play sports, as are children of unemployed parents and where English is not the primary language spoken in the household. Children of mothers with higher education levels are more likely to play sports relative to children whose mothers have completed primary education. Boys are more likely to play sports, and less likely to participate in cultural and community activities.
There are differences in the types of structured activities in which children participate whether they live in towns or villages or in Dublin or other cities. Relative to children living in the open countryside, those in towns, in County Dublin and in Dublin City are less likely to play sport (and more likely to participate in community activities). This is a little surprising for me as I would have expected the availability of sports clubs is greater in towns and in the capital. Perhaps the availability of alternatives is driving lower sports participation as the study finds higher participation in towns and in Dublin in community activities, relative to those living in the open countryside. In a previous post John Eakins, using the Household Budget Survey, showed that urban households spent more on sports participation than rural ones. There may be classification issues around urban and rural though this suggests that urban households spend more but participate less. Perhaps it shows up a weakness in the GUI question on sports participation in that it shows only whether a child was a member of a club but not how many clubs or how much activity was undertaken. In urban areas children may have greater choice and so may play more sports (with more cost).
Children in wealthier households are found to be more likely to participate in sports (and the other structured activities). This is similar to another post by John Eakins on spending by household social status.
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