The Institute of Child Care Research (www.qub.ac.uk/iccr ) was opened in Queen’s University in 1995 with the aim of influencing the development of child care policy and practice in Northern Ireland by conducting and disseminating original and high quality research into child care needs and services.  Research is carried out by a multidisciplinary team, skilled in a wide range of research methods grouped under four main themes: parenting and early childhood development, children in care, youth lifestyle and social development, and mental health and disability in children and young people.