Children and the troubles
- 30 years of conflict have led to many problems in Northern Ireland which affects children and young people.
- Children and young people are still being caught up in street disturbances.
- There are not enough ways that children and young people from different backgrounds are encouraged to get together.
- Some things during the conflict happened that mean some children and young people need special support and help such as counselling.
What children and young people have said:
"You can’t trust the peelers and you’ve nobody to complain to about the paramilitaries – you can’t win!"
"I think that people should just sort it out. Where we live we don’t see as much of it, but when you look at Belfast it really should stop."
Why NICCY thinks Children and the Troubles is a priority area
The legacy of conflict will remain with children and young people for some time. The actual period of the Troubles caused death, injury, and family loss to children and young people.
There is also a legacy of paramilitarism in many parts of Northern Ireland.
In addition the displacement of children and young people from their own neighbourhoods has caused massive family upheaval, for example during the recent Loyalist feuds when many families fled throughout the Greater Shankill area.
Children’s education has also been affected, for example during the Holy Cross dispute when primary school pupils from Holy Cross Primary School and the neighbouring Wheatfield Primary School witnessed scenes that are recorded as having affected their mental health.
Some children and young people have also been left with a mistrust of police.
Recent research has also indicated that sectarian attitudes are often found in very young children. By the age of six one third of children identify themselves as Protestant or Catholic, and one in six have made sectarian comments.
While there has been some policy work on community conflict done, final reports on Education for Mutual Understanding and the Culture of Tolerance Working Group have not been published. Work is underway with the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister’s Victim’s Unit.
Thus while some children in Northern Ireland have suffered very specifically as a result of the Troubles, all children and young people face the challenge of growing up in a society that is still largely divided.
Useful Stuff
More information is available at:
- Cultural of Tolerance Working Group.
- Education for Mutual Understanding
- Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister has responsibility for community relations and victims and reconciliation
- Legislation affecting this includes the Education and Libraries Order 2003
- NICCY has already been asked to help on issues that have arisen from the troubles.
- These have included making sure that work on a disabled child’s house could begin despite paramilitary organisations trying to prevent builders having access to an estate.
- The Commissioner has issued strongly worded statements condemning paramilitary beatings and young people's involvement in street violence, which are available in the News section of this site.