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A blog from the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service

Health and Society

Here you will find blogs produced by our research officers in relation to health and society. Please note that the blogs you will find here are blogs that have been published since 1 May 2022. We also have an archive of blogs where you will find everything published May 2022.

Children and Families

A photograph of the front page of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill
The Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill (‘the Bill’) is currently being considered by the Assembly. This blog article provides a brief
An image of a carer assisting a wheelchair user
Carers Rights Day, observed on 20 November, is intended to raise awareness about the rights of the UK’s 5.8 million unpaid carers and the support available to them. CarersUK

Community Relations

Community Relations articles will be published here when available.

Culture and Sport

A diagram which is a graphic recording of an arts stakeholder event held by the Assembly's Communities Committee; the diagram contains themes such as arts and public policy, accessibility and engagement, inclusivity and diversity, and the health and wellbeing of artists.
Following on from the discussion in our last blog post – Defining arts and culture in Northern Ireland – Members may wish to consider the financial structures underpinning Northern
Three cartoon sketches of cultural policy 'pies', each showing different sets of considerations. The first depicts slices as: wellbeing, prosperity, good relations and participation, the second as: museums, arts, libraries, languages, architecture, screen and events, and the third as: grants, resources, research, equipment, building maintenance and grants.
With a new arts policy expected in Spring 2026, under the Department for Communities’ Heritage, Culture and Creativity Framework, this blog article – the first of two such posts
An illustration showing a montage of images collectively depicting the arts
Introduction Last month, the Irish Government announced new allocations to the Shared Island fund. The Shared Island funding initiative is not a single programme but a suite of interconnected

Equality

A photograph showing a hand with the writing 'Stop abuse' on it
Content notice: This blog contains details on domestic violence and abuse, which some readers may find distressing. International Women’s Day 2026 8 March marked International Women’s Day 2026. UN
Photograph of a copy of a page from the Human Rights Act 1998
Last December marked Universal Human Rights Month, with International Human Rights Day celebrated on 10 December. This date marks the day when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was
An image showing a woman using a laptop screen and looking worried or anxious.
Content notice: This blog article contains references to online harassment, abuse and violence targeting women and girls that some readers may find distressing. High-profile cases such as the Gamergate

Health and Social Care

A photograph showing a silhouette of some children with a sunset behind. The children are holding hands.
Childhood obesity is rising globally but the UK shows a different pattern Globally, rates of childhood overweight and obesity have increased sharply since 1990. Over this period, the share
A greyscale image showing a patient lying in a hospital bed
People in Northern Ireland can now expect to live into their late seventies and early eighties, yet only to around age 60 in good health. This means many spend
A photograph of the front page of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill
The Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill (‘the Bill’) is currently being considered by the Assembly. This blog article provides a brief

Housing

Housing articles will be published here when available.

Immigration

Immigration articles will be published here when available.

Third Sector

Third Sector articles will be published here when available.

Welfare

Welfare articles will be published here when available.