Research
On this page you will find research relating to the children and the outdoors, commissioned both by the Heritage Council and other international organisations.
Children & the Outdoors: Research Reports (2015)
The objective of this research, commissioned by the Heritage Council, was to review existing research and relevant literature around children’s relationship with the outdoors and natural heritage from a children’s rights perspective. This included examining and analysing current trends and identifying gaps in the research on this subject, particularly in the Irish context.
Wild Child Poll - Qualitative Survey (2010)
This research, commissioned by Heritage Council, was undertaken in order to understand the types of activities that today's adults undertook as children, and the extent to which their own children undertake the same activities today.
Learning in the Outdoors: Research by Natural England (2012)
The UK's Natural Environment White Paper - The Natural Choice: Securing the Value of Nature sets out the need to strengthen the connection between people and nature, and gives an explicit call for every child in England to be given the opportunity to experience and learn about the natural environment. To help achieve this ambition, the UK Government sets out several key reforms which include a commitment to removing challenges and increasing teachers' and schools' abilities to teach outdoors. It is within this context that Natural England undertook the following three pieces of research which explore different aspects relating to outdoor education.