CHILDREN OF tomorrow are likely to work until they are 70, live in smaller families, study for longer and change their careers many times.
That's according to research, published yesterday by children's charity Barnardos, which examines trends affecting children today and predicts how they will affect their lives in the future.
Overall, the report - based on population trends and other indicators - paints a positive picture for most children, who are likely to experience good health, better access to education and increased expertise in new technology.
Despite suggestions that traditional families are under threat, current figures suggest children are likely to grow up in stable families with two parents who have never been married before.
Children will increasingly be born to older parents in their 30s, who will be in their 50s when the child leaves home. They are likely to be an "only child", or have one or two siblings, but not more.
"Many aspects of family life and structure remain remarkably unaffected and some worries about the declining state of the Irish family have been unwarranted," said Brian Harvey, an independent research consultant who was commissioned to compile the report.
"Set in an international perspective, Ireland rates highly as a positive environment for children and tomorrow's child looks set to continue to grow and prosper."
However, the report predicts that child poverty will continue to affect the lives of about one-fifth of children, with low levels of public services for children in need and continued inequality of access to opportunities.
A child born to a lone-parent household within a large family of low income, or living in a deprived area, is likely to be affected by poverty throughout life, with limited educational and job opportunities.
If living in a poor family, they will have to wait a long time for what is a very small proportion of social housing to become available.
"Overall, it's striking how good the indicators are for around four-fifths of the population. Yet, the projected outcomes for disadvantaged children are very poor," Mr Harvey said.
"High rates of child poverty reflect the low-tax, low-spend, low-redistribution model of development pursued under the Celtic Tiger economy. As long as this continues, problems of child poverty and childhood adversity will persist."
He cautioned that the findings were based on existing patterns and projections, which may change in the years ahead.
