Raising Films Ireland has launched a new industry survey which is the first of its kind in Ireland, focused on exploring the challenges that parents and carers in the Irish creative screen industries face on a day-to-day basis.
For many individuals working in Irish film, television or animation, becoming a carer or a parent can bring numerous challenges with it given the nature of the work across freelance film and television work.
Link to survey
At the heart of this survey, is Raising Films Ireland’ ambition to make the industry more inclusive.
This is the first survey of its kind in our country’s industry. I would encourage all those working in the creative industries, whether you are currently a parent or carer, or not, to participate as it covers all demographics and the information will be invaluable.
The Raising Films Ireland Board and I are very excited to be taking this step towards gaining as much information as we can about our industry and the impacting issues surrounding the parents and carers in it, as well as those trying to remain in it or get back into it. I look forward to the results it will garner and the comparative data it will contribute to across Raising Films global network.
I want to thank our board, Raising Films in the UK for their guidance and support and Screen Skills Ireland, without which Raising Films Ireland and this survey would not be possible. I would also like to applaud the immense work that our research team has put into building this survey.
Ailish Bracken, Chair Raising Film Ireland
The research is being overseen by Dr Susan Liddy, a lecturer in the Department of Media and Communication Studies in MIC, the Chair of Women in Film and Television Ireland and a board member of Raising Films Ireland.
Never before have we attempted to gather data on this scale and to so comprehensively analyse the experiences of parents and carers in its workforce. We know a certain amount from smaller studies that have focused solely on mothers. But we are still in the dark about the extent of the problem, the impact on fathers and on individuals who care for other loved ones, apart from children.
This survey will provide us with the bigger picture and give us an in-depth insight into how the industry, as currently constructed, impacts on individuals and families. They say knowledge is power and, with your help, this survey will empower us all to work more effectively for change.
Dr Susan Liddy
This critical research is supported by the Screen Skills Ireland Stakeholder Fund.
Scannain’s Niall Murphy is a board member of Raising Films Ireland.