Barnardos Knowledge Bank
Barnardos Knowledge Bank is an online service hosting full content materials produced by Barnardos Ireland. It contains the full text of booklets, journals, reports, research papers and more. Barnardos Knowledge Bank is an open access platform, with the aim of making Barnardos output as widely accessible as possible. Use the browse functions above for an overview of relevant materials. Barnardos is Ireland's leading children's charity and is also a National Voluntary Childcare Organisation whose work is part funded by Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
Recent Submissions
Item type:Item, The Roots of Empathy Programme with Barnardos – An Overview (Leaflet)(Barnardos)Roots of Empathy, funded and managed by Barnardos in Ireland, is an evidence-based classroom programme designed to foster emotional literacy, empathy, and positive social behaviours among primary school children. Central to the programme is the unique experience of a local parent and baby visiting the classroom throughout the school year, allowing students to observe the baby's development and learn to identify and reflect on emotions. Research consistently shows that Roots of Empathy reduces aggression and bullying while increasing empathy and prosocial behaviour, helping children better understand themselves and others and creating safer, more caring classroom environments.Item type:Item, Would you like me to come to your School and teach Children about Empathy with the Roots of Empathy Programme?(Barnardos)Roots of Empathy (ROE) is an international, evidence-based programme designed for primary schools to foster empathy and reduce aggressive behaviours like bullying. Over the course of a school year, a local parent and their baby visit classrooms alongside a trained instructor, guiding children through activities that build emotional awareness and social skills. Teachers report that the programme helps students express their worries and develop lasting social competence. Parents value the positive family experience and treasured memories, while children say ROE teaches them to understand others’ feelings, accept differences, and discourage bullying and prejudice.Item type:Item, Cost Of Living Crisis: Impact on Children 2026(Barnardos, 2026)The ongoing cost of living crisis in Ireland continues to have a profound impact on children and families, particularly those in low-income and lone-parent households. According to a 2026 Barnardos report, many families are forced to cut back on essentials such as heating, electricity, food, and clothing. For example, 21% of parents reported going without heating, 20% without food, and 36% without new clothing for their children in the past six months. The situation is especially severe for low-income families, who are twice as likely to go without heating and four times more likely to go without food compared to higher-income households. Lone-parent families are also disproportionately affected, with 28% going without heating and 29% without food. The emotional toll is significant, as 70% of parents worry about providing daily essentials, and 21% say the crisis has significantly negatively affected their children. Many parents have had to borrow money or go into debt to meet basic needs, and some have even skipped meals so their children could eat. The report calls for targeted government measures, such as increasing child support payments and fuel allowances, to address these persistent challenges and protect vulnerable children.Item type:Item, ChildLinks Issue 1: Agency in Practice(Barnardos, 2026)After a hiatus in 2025, we are delighted that ChildLinks is back in publication. With this issue, as with all past and future issues, we aim to inspire and engage all those dedicated professionals working with children in early childhood and school-age settings in Ireland, as well as those working in support agencies and organisations, and working and studying in higher education institutions. A key focus of updated Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, is the concept of the agentic child and the agentic educator. In this issue, we consider what agency means for both, and what it looks like in practice. The first article in this issue from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment explores agency in the lives of babies, toddlers and young children, and for their educators, as presented in Aistear, examining how responsive, inclusive and meaningful learning experiences can realise rights and agency during early childhood. Later in this issue, there is an exploration of how the universal and targeted supports of the Access and Inclusion model (AIM), and the mentoring offered by Better Start Early Years Specialists, enhance agency for both children and educators in settings in Ireland. Other articles in this issue focus specifically on agency for children, with Lorraine Farrell, National Aistear Development Officer, highlighting how, when educators hold a strengths-based view of children as agentic, competent and confident from birth, opportunities to realise agency are supported. Dr Sharon Skehill then looks at agency through the lens of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, highlighting that when adults focus on children’s rights, they create opportunities for babies, toddlers and young children to negotiate and develop their agency. Later, in an article from Kristianstad University, Sweden, we are introduced to an exploration of the promotion of children’s agency in activities that integrate play and teaching (in this case science-play), identifying agency not as something that individuals possess in isolation, but something that is continuously negotiated and supported in interaction. Aistear also presents the educator as agentic, with the freedom to use their knowledge and skills to support learning and development. In two further articles, owners of Irish settings outline how they intentionally support agency by ensuring that educators recognise the significance of their role in a culture where they feel respected, capable, and valued. This sense of being valued as an agentic professional is seen to impact on educators’ sense ofprofessional purpose and satisfaction in an article by Dr Jessica Ciuciu from Deakin University, Australia, and is shown to connect to workforce retention, one of the most pressing challenges facing the early childhood sector, not only in Ireland, but internationally. We are sure this issue will give you plenty to reflect on in terms of both your own agency and the agency of the children in your care as you support them to have a voice, make choices, actively participate in their own learning and development, and influence the relationships, decisions and the workings of their social worldsItem type:Item, 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report(Barnardos, 2026)This 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report from Barnardos demonstrates the organisation’s ongoing commitment to fairness, transparency, and inclusion. With a workforce that is 91% female and strong female representation at all levels—including 80% of the Senior Management Team—Barnardos continues to maintain pay equity. The overall gender pay gap remains close to zero, with a mean gap of 2.7% in favour of men and a median gap of -2.7% in favour of women, reflecting equitable access to roles and progression opportunities. The report highlights that women are well represented across all pay quartiles, and pay differences in full-time and part-time roles align with typical working patterns rather than systemic disparity. Barnardos has implemented a range of diversity and inclusion initiatives, including updated recruitment policies, flexible working arrangements, and ongoing training. These efforts underscore Barnardos’ dedication to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.
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