The Mission of the Institute of Child Care Research is to ‘generate knowledge, through research, to serve children’.

We believe that when it comes to addressing the needs of children, we must understand them better; understand the nature and severity of problems they encounter, and the consequences that may follow; be well-informed about how our society is faring in addressing these challenges; and help develop the evidence base for effective interventions.

The Institute aims to play a key role in influencing the development of children’s policy and practice in Northern Ireland through partnerships with research users, by: identifying and conducting original research into child care needs and services; offering training and consultation on undertaking and applying child care research; and providing postgraduate research supervision for postgraduate students undertaking and completing child care research.