Northern Ireland Good Relations Indicators 2020 Report
Northern Ireland Good Relations Indicators 2020 Report
The Together: Building a United Community Strategy (2013) outlines a vision of a united community, based on equality of opportunity, the desirability of good relations and reconciliation.
This publication monitors indicators for the four key priorities of the T:BUC Strategy: our children and young people; our shared community; our safe community; and our cultural expression.
Please note that throughout this report, reference will be made to the Young Life and Times Survey (YLT), which informs several of the indicators. Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, fieldwork for the YLT survey was not completed in 2020 and no data was produced for that year; therefore, the YLT data referenced in this report are from 2019. Please see the technical notes section for further details.
It should also be noted that, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (NILT) was conducted remotely, having previously been administered as a series of face-to-face household interviews; therefore, caution should be exercised when comparing data for 2020 with other years. Please see the technical notes section for further details.
Click here to view guidance on the interactive figures used throughout this report
Executive Summary
Our Children and Young People
40% of adults in 2020 think that relations between Protestants and Catholics are better now than they were five years ago.
35% of adults think that relations between Protestants and Catholics will be better in five years’ time.
54% of young people have ‘done projects’ with pupils from other schools; 52% have ‘shared classes’; and 26% ‘shared sports facilities or equipment’ where the pupils are from a different religious background.
Our Cultural Expression
67% of adults think that the culture and traditions of Catholic communities add to the richness and diversity of Northern Ireland society; 66% think this about Minority Ethnic communities; and 65% think this about Protestant communities.
24% of adults feel that they have an influence on decisions made in their neighbourhood; and 18% feel that they have an influence on decisions made in Northern Ireland.
83% of adult respondents feel a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood; and the same proportion feel a sense of belonging to Northern Ireland.
1. Our Children and Young People
Indicator 1.1a
Percentage (%) who think that relations between Protestants and Catholics are better now than they were five years ago
Why is this indicator important?
Improving attitudes, as perceived by young people responding to the Young Life and Times (YLT) survey, is an invaluable measure of attitudinal change. Direct comparisons can be made with adults using the Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey.
Current Year (2019/2020):
40% of adults (2020) and 44% of young people (2019) think that relations between Protestants and Catholics are better now than they were five years ago.
Figure 1:
% who think that relations between Protestants and Catholics are better now than they were five years ago
Source: NILT/YLT
How we got here:
Since 2019, there has been no significant change in the proportion of adult respondents who think relations between Protestants and Catholics are better now than they were five years ago.
There was no significant change between 2019 and 2020 in the proportion of adults identifying as Protestant, Catholic or neither who think relations between Protestants and Catholics are better now than they were five years ago.
Indicator 1.1a
Percentage (%) who think that relations between Protestants and Catholics will be better in five years' time
Why is this indicator important?
Improving attitudes, as perceived by young people responding to the Young Life and Times (YLT) survey, is an invaluable measure of attitudinal change. Direct comparisons can be made with adults using the Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey.
Current Year (2019/2020):
35% of adults (2020) and 34% of young people (2019) think that relations between Protestants and Catholics will be better in five years’ time.
Figure 2:
% who think that relations between Protestants and Catholics will be better in five years' time
Source: NILT/YLT
How we got here:
Since 2019, there has been a significant increase (7 percentage points) in the proportion of adult respondents who think relations will be better in five years' time (28% in 2019; 35% in 2020).
Indicator 1.1b
Percentage (%) who feel favourable towards people from: Catholic communities, Protestant communities, Minority Ethnic communities
Why is this indicator important?
Improving attitudes, as perceived by young people responding to the Young Life and Times (YLT) survey, is an invaluable measure of attitudinal change. Direct comparisons can be made with adults using the Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey.
Current Year (2019/2020):
63% of young people in 2019 responded that they feel favourable towards people from Catholic communities; 57% towards people from Protestant communities; and 55% towards people from Minority Ethnic communities. This is significantly lower than the proportion of adults in 2020 who feel favourable towards people from: Catholic communities, 70%; Protestant communities, 69%; and Minority Ethnic communities, 61%.
Figure 3:
% who feel favourable towards people from: Catholic communities, Protestant communities, Minority Ethnic communities
Source: NILT/YLT
How we got here:
Since 2019, there have been significant decreases in the proportion of adults who feel favourable towards people from Catholic communities (81% in 2019; 70% in 2020) Protestant communities (86% in 2019; 69% in 2020), and Minority Ethnic communities (69% in 2019; 61% in 2020).
Young people in 2019 were more positive than their counterparts in 2013 towards Catholic communities (44% in 2013; 63% in 2019), Protestant Communities (42% in 2013; 57% in 2019) and Minority Ethnic communities (41% in 2013; 55% in 2019). Since 2014, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of adult respondents who feel favourable towards Catholic Communities (84% in 2014; 70% in 2020) and Protestant communities (84% in 2014; 69% in 2020). There has been no significant change to those who feel favourable towards people from Minority Ethnic communities since 2014.
Indicator 1.2a
Percentage (%) of young people who regularly socialise or play sport with people from a different religious community
Why is this indicator important?
The number of young people regularly socialising or playing sport with people from a different community shows the extent of positive cross-community contact.
Current Year (2019):
66% of young people ‘very often’ or ‘sometimes’ socialise or play sport with people from a different religious community. A significantly lower proportion of Catholic young people report this (60%) than Protestant young people (69%) or young people with no religion (70%). There is no significant difference in the proportions of young male people and young female people who report this.
Figure 4:
% of young people who regularly socialise or play sport with people from a different religious community
Source: YLT
How we got here:
Between 2018 and 2019, there was a significant increase of 4 percentage points in the proportion of young people who regularly socialise or play sport with young people from a different religious background, from 62% in 2018 to 66% in 2019.
Indicator 1.2b
Percentage (%) of young people who have: shared sports facilities or equipment; shared classes; or done projects, with pupils from other schools where the pupils are from a different religious background
Why is this indicator important?
Finding out the opinions of young people who have done projects, and shared classes or facilities with pupils from other schools where the pupils are from a different religious background helps to show what works, and where resources are best allocated.
Current Year (2019):
26% of young people have ‘shared sports facilities or equipment’ with pupils from other schools, while 52% have ‘shared classes’, and 54% have ‘done projects’.
Figure 5:
% of young people who have: shared sports facilites or equipment; shared classes; or done projects, with pupils from other schools where the pupils are from a different religious background
Source: YLT
Note: % of young people refers to those who took part in shared education.
How we got here:
Data from previous years are not directly comparable due to changes in the wording and ordering of questions.
3. Our Safe Community
Indicator 3.1a
Number of hate crimes
Why is this indicator important?
An increase in good relations should result in lower numbers of hate crimes and incidents being committed.
Current Year (2020/21):
718 racially motivated, and 674 sectarian hate crimes were recorded. All other categories of hate crimes when combined accounted for 21% of hate crimes.
Figure 14:
Number of hate crimes
Source: PSNI
How we got here:
Unlike last year, the number of racially motivated hate crimes has surpassed that of sectarian hate crimes. While both have shown an increase since 2019/20 (an increase of 92 (racial) and 35 (sectarian)), it should be noted that increases or decreases in the number of crimes may be attributed to changes in reporting; detection; or confidence in the police.
Indicator 3.1b
Number of people presenting as homeless as a result of intimidation
Why is this indicator important?
The number presenting as homeless due to intimidation is an indicator of people's fears around safety, as well as allowing us to measure the prevalence of intimidation.
Current Year (2020/21):
83% of the 286 households that presented as homeless due to intimidation did so because of paramilitary intimidation.
Figure 15:
Number of NIHE clients presenting as homeless due to intimidation
Source: Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE)
Note: Other includes anti-social behaviour, disability, and sexual orientation
How we got here:
Between 2019/20 and 2020/21, there has been a decrease in the number of NIHE clients presenting as homeless due to paramilitary intimidation (246 in 2019/20; 236 in 2020/21); sectarian intimidation (14 in 2019/20; 9 in 2020/21); racial intimidation (18 in 2019/20; 6 in 2020/21); and other intimidation (i.e. anti-social behaviour, disability, and sexual orientation) (57 in 2019/20; 35 in 2020/21).
Indicator 3.1c
Percentage (%) of people who felt: annoyed by republican murals; intimidated by republican murals; annoyed by loyalist murals; intimidated by loyalist murals
Why is this indicator important?
A reduction in the use of murals, kerb-paintings and flags to mark territory will result in a community where people feel safe moving around, and are not inhibited by fear.
Current Year (2020):
43% of adults said that they had been annoyed by republican murals, kerb-paintings or flags in the last year; with 28% feeling intimidated by them. Significantly more adult respondents said they had been annoyed by loyalist murals, kerb-paintings or flags in the last year (50%); with 34% intimidated by them.
Figure 16:
% of people who felt: annoyed by republican murals; intimidated by republican murals; annoyed by loyalist murals; intimidated by loyalist murals
Source: NILT
How we got here:
Since 2019 there has been a significant increase in the proportion of adults who felt annoyed by loyalist murals (20 percentage points, from 30% in 2019 to 50% in 2020) and there was also a significant increase in the proportion of adults who felt annoyed by republican murals (18 percentage points, from 25% in 2019 to 43% in 2020). There have been similar increases when considering those intimidated by murals: 20 percentage points, from 14% in 2019 to 34% in 2020 for those intimidated by loyalist murals; and 18 percentage points, from 10% in 2019 to 28% in 2020 for those intimidated by republican murals.
Indicator 3.2a
Percentage (%) of people who see town centres as safe and welcoming places for people of all walks of life
Why is this indicator important?
Town centres must be seen as places where people can feel safe in moving around, and where life choices are not inhibited by fears around safety.
Current Year (2020):
54% of adult respondents see town centres as safe and welcoming places for people of all walks of life. 53% of Catholic respondents, 58% of Protestant respondents, and 48% of respondents with no religion report this.
Figure 17:
% of people who see town centres as safe and welcoming places for people of all walks of life
Source: NILT
Note: In 2020, the wording of this question was altered. Previously, respondents were asked to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statement “Towns and city centres in Northern Ireland are safe and welcoming places for people of all walks of life.” In 2020, participants were asked to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statement “In a world without coronavirus (COVID-19), towns and city centres in Northern Ireland are safe and welcoming places for people of all walks of life.”
How we got here:
Between 2019 and 2020, there was a significant decrease of 9 percentage points in the proportion of people who see town centres as safe and welcoming places for people of all walks of life, from 63% in 2019 to 54% in 2020.
Indicator 3.2b
Percentage (%) of people feeling safe going to events held in: a GAA club, an Orange Hall, a Protestant secondary school, a Catholic secondary school
Why is this indicator important?
Asking people about where they feel safe helps to measure whether all communities are perceived as welcoming for everybody. This helps to identify what extra steps we can take to overcome negative perceptions.
Current Year (2020):
64% of adult respondents say they feel ‘very’ or ‘quite’ safe going to events held in a GAA club; 60% to events held in an Orange Hall; 85% to events held in a Protestant secondary school; and 81% to events held in a Catholic secondary school.
Figure 18:
% of people feeling safe going to events held in: a GAA club, an Orange Hall, a Protestant secondary school, a Catholic secondary school
Source: NILT
Note: In 2020, the wording of this question was altered. Previously, respondents were asked “Supposing there was an event that you wanted to go to in a nearby town. How safe do you think you would feel going if it was to be held in these premises?” In 2020, participants were asked “Supposing there was an event that you wanted to go to in a nearby town. In a world without coronovirus (COVID-19), how safe do you think you would feel going if it was to be held in these premises?”
How we got here:
Since 2019, there has been a significant decrease in feelings of safety in GAA clubs (70% in 2019; 64% in 2020), Orange Halls (66% in 2019; 60% in 2020), Protestant secondary schools (91% in 2019; 85% in 2020), and Catholic secondary schools (89% in 2019; 81% in 2020).
Feelings of safety have significantly decreased since 2013 by 6 percentage points in GAA Clubs (70% in 2013; 64% in 2020), by 4 percentage points in Protestant secondary schools (89% in 2013; 85% in 2020) and by 6 percentage points in Catholic Schools (87% in 2013; 81% in 2020). However, there were no significant changes in feelings of safety in Orange Halls.
Indicator 3.2c
Percentage (%) who would like to see peace lines come down now or in the near future
Why is this indicator important?
Peace Lines impact on the delivery of services and reduce the potential for communities living in these areas to attract and benefit from inward investment. This indicator helps identify where more work is needed to create the conditions and gain the confidence of the community that will allow the peace lines to come down.
Current Year (2020):
69% of all adult respondents want the Peace Lines to come down now or in the future and 58% of those who live within a few streets of the Peace Lines want this.
Figure 19:
% who would like to see peace lines come down now or in the near future
Source: NILT
Note: Residents are defined as those that indicate they live “within a few streets of the nearest Peace Lines” Religious breakdowns of residents are usually included in this indicator, but have been suppressed in this year’s report in line with statistical disclosure rules
How we got here:
In 2020, over half (58%) of residents said they want the peace lines to come down now or in the future, this does not represent a significant change from 2019 (49%).
4. Our Cultural Expression
Indicator 4.1a
Percentage (%) who feel a sense of belonging to: their neighbourhood; Northern Ireland
Why is this indicator important?
This indicator measures people's sense of belonging towards their neighbourhood and Northern Ireland as a whole; and compares young people to adults.
Current Year (2019/2020):
Eight in ten adult respondents in 2020 (83%) say they feel a sense of belonging towards their neighbourhood, with the same proportion saying they feel a sense of belonging to Northern Ireland. A significantly lower proportion of young people in 2019 say the same (72% belonging to their neighbourhood; 69% to Northern Ireland).
Among adults in 2020, significantly more Protestant (88%) and Catholic (84%) respondents than respondents with no religion (74%) said they felt a sense of belonging to their neighborhood. Similarly, for young people in 2019, significantly more Protestant (78%) and Catholic (81%) respondents than respondents with no religion (56%) felt a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood.
Significantly more Protestant adults (93%) than either Catholic adults (78%) or adults with no religion (75%) said they felt a sense of belonging to Northern Ireland. Similarly, among young people, significantly more Protestant respondents (82%) than either Catholic respondents (69%) or respondents with no religion (55%) said they felt a sense of belonging to Northern Ireland.
Figure 20:
% who feel a sense of belonging to: their neighbourhood; Northern Ireland
Source: NILT/YLT
How we got here:
Since 2019, the proportions of adults who feel a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood has decreased significantly (90% in 2019; 83% in 2020). However, there is no significant change in the proportion of adults who feel a sense of belonging to Northern Ireland.
Since 2013, the proportions of adults who feel a sense of belonging to Northern Ireland has increased significantly (79% in 2013; 83% in 2020). However, there is no significant change in the proportion of adults who feel a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood.
Indicator 4.1b
Percentage (%) of people who feel they have an influence on decisions made in: their neighbourhood; Northern Ireland
Why is this indicator important?
For people to feel like they belong to their community, it is important that they feel like they have an influence when it comes to decisions made in their neighbourhood and in Northern Ireland.
Current Year (2019/2020):
Young people (2019) feel less influential than adults (2020) at both neighbourhood and Northern Ireland level. Just under one in four adults in 2020 responded that they feel they have an influence on decisions made in their neighbourhood (24%), with an even smaller proportion of adults (18%) feeling they have an influence on decisions made in Northern Ireland. The proportion of young people in 2019 who think this is significantly lower: 9% feel like they have an influence on decisions made in their neighbourhood; and 7% feel like they have an influence on decisions made in Northern Ireland.
Figure 21:
% of people who feel they have an influence on decisions made in: their neighbourhood; Northern Ireland
Source: NILT/YLT
How we got here:
Since 2019, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of adults who feel they have an influence on Northern Ireland decisions (4 percentage points, from 22% in 2019 to 18% in 2020). However, there was no significant change in the proportion who felt they have an influence on local decisions.
Indicator 4.2a
Percentage (%) who think the culture and traditions of: Catholic communities; Protestant communities; Minority Ethnic communities, add to the richness and diversity of Northern Ireland society
Why is this indicator important?
Embracing cultural diversity and celebrating cultural expression will be key to good relations in the future.
Current Year (2020):
Around two-thirds (67%) of adult respondents think that the culture and traditions of Catholic communities add to the richness and diversity of Northern Ireland society. Although a smaller number of adults think this about Protestant communities (65%) and about Minority Ethnic Communities (66%), there is no significant difference in these amounts.
Figure 22:
% who think the culture and traditions of: Catholic communities; Protestant communities; Minority Ethnic communities, add to the richness and diversity of Northern Ireland society
Source: NILT
How we got here:
The proportion of adult respondents who think the culture and traditions of Catholic and Protestant communities add to the richness and diversity of Northern Ireland society has significantly decreased since 2019 (by 6 percentage points, from 73% in 2019 to 67% in 2020 and 11 percentage points, from 76% in 2019 to 65% in 2020 respectively). The proportion who think this in relation to Minority Ethnic communities has significantly increased by 5 percentage points, from 61% in 2019 to 66% in 2020.
Indicator 4.2b
Percentage (%) who feel their own cultural identity is respected by society
Why is this indicator important?
If our society is to be based on mutual respect, then everyone must feel that their own cultural identity is respected by the society in which they live.
Current Year (2020):
Half of adult respondents (50%) feel that their own cultural identity is respected by society. 57% of Catholic respondents feel this, while a significantly lower proportion of Protestant respondents feel the same way (49%). A significantly lower proportion of those with no religion than either Catholics or Protestants think that their own cultural identity is respected by society (44%).
Figure 23:
% who feel their own cultural identity is respected by society
Source: NILT
How we got here:
Since 2019, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of those who feel their own cultural identity is respected by society (62% in 2019; 50% in 2020).
Indicators by Outcome
Timeline of Indicator 1.1a
Figure 24:
% who think that relations between Protestants and Catholics are better now than they were five years ago
NB: Data points and event lines are shown at mid-year points, rather than exact dates when data collection and/or events happened.
Reader information
Contacts
Daniel Nelson-Donaghy
Statistics and Research Branch
The Executive Office
Block 2
Knockview Buildings
Belfast
BT4 3SL
Email:
teostatisticsresearch@executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk
Telephone: (028) 90522280
Background to the Good Relations Indicators
Why are good relations indicators needed?
Good Relations Indicators are needed to measure the progress of the ‘Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) Strategy’.
What is the Together: Building a United Community Strategy?
The T:BUC Strategy was published by the Northern Ireland Executive in May 2013. The strategy reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society. This strategy represents a major change in the way that good relations will be delivered across government.
The vision of the strategy is:
“a united community, based on equality of opportunity, the desirability of good relations and reconciliation - one which is strengthened by its diversity, where cultural expression is celebrated and embraced and where everyone can live, learn, work and socialise together, free from prejudice, hate and intolerance.”
The strategy sets out a range of actions and commitments for government departments, communities and individuals who will work together to build a united community and achieve change against four key strategic priorities:
- Our Children and Young People
- Our Shared Community
- Our Safe Community
- Our Cultural Expression
Each of these key priorities is supported by the following shared aims:
- Our Children and Young People: to continue to improve attitudes amongst our young people and to build a community where they can play a full and active role in building good relations.
- Our Shared Community: to create a community where division does not restrict the life opportunities of individuals and where all areas are open and accessible to everyone.
- Our Safe Community: to create a community where everyone feels safe in moving around and where life choices are not inhibited by fears around safety.
- Our Cultural Expression: to create a community, which promotes mutual respect and understanding, is strengthened by its diversity and where cultural expression is celebrated and embraced.
How were the indicators decided?
The good relations indicators were developed by NISRA statisticians with input from an expert advisory group. Based on the T:BUC vision and four key strategic priorities, a set of outcomes that would be expected if the strategy is successful were outlined;
- Our Children and Young People
- Improved attitudes between young people from different backgrounds
- Young people engaged in bringing the community together
- Our Shared Community
- Increased use of shared space and services (e.g. leisure centres, parks, libraries, shopping centres, education, housing)
- Shared space is accessible to all
- Our Safe Community
- Reduction in the prevalence of hate crime and intimidation
- A community where places and spaces are safe for all
- Our Cultural Expression
- Increased sense of community belonging
- Cultural diversity is celebrated
More information about how the outcomes and indicators were chosen can be found in the technical notes.
Are the indicators monitored?
The indicators are monitored on an annual basis using a range of robust data sources. More information about these data sources can be found in the technical notes at the back of this document, or within the associated data files available on The Executive Office website.
More information about how the outcomes and indicators were chosen can be found in the technical notes.
What are the strengths of the indicators?
The T:BUC strategy and Good Relations indicators have been developed and agreed through consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. The data sources used to monitor progress are robust and known to collect data in accordance with best practice.
Technical Notes
Statistics
When reporting differences in the report, the data are tested to see if they are statistically significant at the 5% level. A reported increase or decrease means there is at least a 95% probability that there is a genuine difference between results and the difference is not simply explained by random chance or sample error.
Please note that, due to rounding, percentages in both this report and the relevant data tables may not always sum to 100.
In some cases, where answer categories have been combined, figures presented in the graphs may not sum to the same total as figures presented in the relevant commentary, due to rounding.
Due to COVID-19, some questions in the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey were reworded. These changes affect the following Indicators: 2.2a, 3.2a, 3.2b. Please see the notes in the relevant indicators for more details.
Good Relations Indicators Criteria
The criteria for selecting the indicators as agreed by an expert advisory group (comprised of key stakeholders from departments, District Councils and the community and voluntary sector) are that indicators should be:
- Outcome focussed, rather than process focussed. In other words the indicator will give an indication that the outcome is being achieved;
- Relevant, that is, relevant to one or more of the high level priorities or aims of the Strategy;
- Available, that is, published regularly; and
- Robust, in other words the sample should be representative of the relevant population and collected using recognised best practice in surveys.
A draft set of outcomes and indicators was agreed by the Advisory Group and consulted on more widely between 22nd January and 31st March 2014. Consultees were invited to provide comments on the indicators via an online survey on the OFMdFM website, or by hardcopy. OFMdFM is the precursor to The Executive Office; renamed as part of departmental restructure in May 2016.
The indicators are measured using a range of data sources. The data from each source are not available at the same time, but those contained within this report are the most current to the reporting period of this publication.
Data Sources
Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey
The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was launched in the autumn of 1998. Its mission is to monitor the attitudes and behaviour of people across Northern Ireland annually to provide a time-series and a public record of how our attitudes and behaviour develop on a wide range of social policy issues. The Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) Survey is a direct descendent of the Northern Ireland Social Attitudes Survey (NISA) which ran from 1989 to 1996.
The NILT survey was faced with methodological challenges in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey is usually conducted as a series of face-to-face household interviews, however, these were suspended due to legal restrictions. The interviews were therefore conducted remotely: 95% by Computer Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) and 5% by Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) and Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) via Microsoft Teams. Face-to-face interviewers also called directly to selected households to encourage participation; this was done within COVID-19 guidelines. The move to remote interviewing resulted in a much lower response rate of 9%, compared to 56% in 2019.
The 2020 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee in the School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast, where the survey coordinator is based. The survey involved 1,292 interviews with adults aged 18 years or over from a systematic random sample of 14,784 eligible addresses selected from the Postcode Address File database, resulting in a 9% response rate.The move to a remote process may also affect results. In the case of NILT, participants were responding anonymously without an interviewer in the room, thereby reducing social desirability bias. The number of questions had to be reduced, and the wording and response options for some questions changed.
All analyses of the adult data are weighted in order to allow for disproportionate household size. As only one individual is sampled at an address, this means that the probability of selection for the survey is inversely related to the size of the household. In other words individuals living in large household have a lower chance of being included in the sample than individuals living in small households. Before analysis the data are weighted in relation to the number of eligible adults at the address, derived from the details of the household structure recorded by interviewers on the questionnaire. This weighting process adjusts the results to those which would have been achieved if the sample had been drawn as a systematic random sample of adults rather than of addresses. (ARK)
Young Life and Times Survey
From 1998 to 2000, the Young Life and Times (YLT) survey sought the views of all 12 to 17 year olds living in the same household as the respondent to the Northern Ireland Life and Times survey. However, in 2003, the aims and methodology of the survey were changed. From 2003 onwards, the Young Life and Times survey recorded the attitudes of 16 year olds only. The YLT sample is drawn from the Child Benefit Register and usually contains the names and addresses of all young people resident in Northern Ireland who celebrated their 16th birthday during February and March.
As highlighted at the start of this report, the YLT survey did not run in 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the YLT data referenced in this report are from 2019, and are the same as the YLT data used in the 2019 Good Relations Indicators Report. Where indicators refer exclusively to YLT data, the “current year” has been changed to 2019; where they refer to both NILT and YLT data, the current year has been changed to 2019/2020. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us at the email address listed in the Contacts section of this report, and a NISRA statistician working in The Executive Office will be happy to answer any queries you may have.
In 2019, 5,092 names of eligible respondents were received. 1,132 completed questionnaires were received by the end of the fieldwork period, resulting in a response rate of 22%. The YLT data does not require weighting. (ARK)
School Omnibus Survey
The School Omnibus Survey is a multi-purpose survey of all Principals in grant-aided schools, designed to collect a range of required information as determined by DE policy teams. The questions produced both quantitative and qualitative data, generally using yes/no and multiple response questions as well as open-ended response types. The survey was web-based, with the option to complete in either English or Irish, and each school received the link to the survey via email, along with a unique username and password to maximise security. The survey was issued in September 2018, with a four week period given for survey returns. A reminder was issued one week prior to the closing date of the survey period.
The shared education section received 254 responses out of a total of 404 responses to the online survey. (Dept. of Education)
Northern Ireland House Condition Survey
The 2016 Northern Ireland House Condition Survey (HCS) was based on a random sample of 3,000 dwellings completed in two stages.
The first stage involved including all the full surveys completed as part of the 2011 HCS (resample: 1,434 surveys). Consideration had to be given to the location of addresses because the 2011 HCS eleven council areas were approximations only, based on the grouping of existing LGDs, as boundaries were not finalised at the time of the 2011 HCS sampling. Consequently, this meant there were some sample variations in the final totals by the eleven council areas in the 2016 HCS sample.
The second stage was a fresh random sample of 1,566 properties selected by council area to ensure that each area total (fresh and resample) added to approximately 200. In Belfast Council Area, a total of 635 households were selected (150 in North, 151 in East, 171 in South and 163 in West Belfast). In addition the Causeway Coast Council area was divided into two areas to allow for more detailed information on holiday homes in Northern Ireland.
The fresh sample frame, in 2016, was Pointer (see ‘Sample frame’). This database (Pointer) contained a subset of the computerised records for domestic residential property maintained by the LPS and had been subject to extensive quality assurance and validation since 2011.
Addresses were selected at random and no substitution of addresses was allowed. In instances where surveyors encountered a multi-dwelling address and there was no sub-number on their contact sheet, there were processes in place to ensure the correct address was selected. In the case of a fresh sample address a kish grid was used to randomly select the sub-number. In the case of a resample address the statistics team looked up the details of the previous survey in order to identify which sub number had been surveyed, and the same sub-number was surveyed in 2016. If the address was a single-dwelling address in the previous survey, but had subsequently changed to a mutli-dweling address, a kish grid was used to randomly select the sub-number. (NIHE)
School Census
Information on pupil enrolments is collected annually from schools, as part of what is commonly known as the schools census. This data collection exercise is an annual snapshot of pupil and school level data for each pre-school centre, nursery, special, primary, post-primary, hospital and independent school in Northern Ireland. As well as data relating to school enrolments and numbers, information in relation to attendance is collected as part of the overall school return. (Dept. of Education)
Integrated Education
Data on numbers of first preference applicants admitted to post-primary schools is collated each year at the end of the annual admissions process by the regional offices of the Education Authority. The figures for integrated post-primary schools have been extracted from this. (Dept. of Education)
PSNI Hate Crime Statistics
Unlike the Northern Ireland Crime Survey (NICS), police recorded crime figures do not include crimes that have not been reported to the police or those that the police decide not to record, but they do cover crimes against those aged under 16, organisations such as businesses, and crimes ‘against the state’ i.e. with no immediate victim (e.g. possession of drugs). Like any administrative data, police recorded crime statistics are affected by the rules governing the recording of data, systems in place and operational decisions in respect of the allocation of resources. More proactive policing in a given area could lead to an increase in crimes recorded without any real change in underlying crime trends. These issues need to be taken into account when using these data. (PSNI)
Northern Ireland Housing Executive Homeless Presentation Figures
Statistics on Homelessness are sourced from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE). They are published in the DfC’s annual Housing Statistics report. The figures reported for each reason for presentation from 2011-12 onwards are not fully comparable with other published figures. Data migration issues and coding variations following the introduction of a new operational Housing Management System (HMS) in July 2011 meant that no data on reason for presentation was recorded for 3,731 cases in 2011-12 and 835 cases during April-June 2012. (NIHE)
Definitions
- meets the needs of, and provides for the education together of learners from all Section 75 categories and socio-economic status;
- involves schools and other education providers of differing ownership, sectoral identity and ethos, management type or governance arrangements; and
- delivers educational benefits to learners, promotes the efficient and effective use of resources, and promotes equality of opportunity, good relations, equality of identity, respect for diversity and community cohesion.