Administrative Data Research Northern Ireland (ADR NI) is a partnership between the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). The partnership is supported by the Health and Social Care Research and Development (HSC R&D) Unit.
The partners
The Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI) is a partnership between research specialists at Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University. ADRC NI brings extensive knowledge and experience in developing innovative research for public benefit, analysing complex data sets and independent public engagement.
They partner with NISRA, who are experts in statistics and research with a proven track record in curating, linking, and managing large-scale data sets. They employ world-class technological and methodological innovation to facilitate researchers access to data sets, ultimately transforming research and informing policymaking.
The main focus of the ADR NI partnership is to provide quality evidence for policymakers by acquiring and conducting research in safe settings using public data. The researchers, from both academia and the government, are working on important issues in Northern Ireland society, such as the well-being of children in care, access to mental health and social care services, educational achievements, and the needs of an ageing population.
The Strategy
ADR NI’s Strategy 2022 – 2026 focuses on delivering high quality and impactful evidence that supports policy and practice in Northern Ireland, and more widely, across the UK.
How is it funded?
ADR NI is funded directly by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) with a dedicated portion of the total investment in ADR UK, currently until March 2026. To find out more about how ADR UK is funded, see About Us. Further details of the grants awarded to NISRA and Queen's University Belfast can be seen on UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)’s Gateway to Research platform.
ADR Northern Ireland projects
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Mental health in prisons in Northern Ireland
20 January 2025
This ADR Northern Ireland project aims to develop a new linked dataset containing information on mental health and addiction among people in prisons in Northern Ireland, as well as their mortality risk following release.
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Testing the reliability and validity of the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017
20 January 2025
This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017. By investigating how well this measure reflects and predicts the social, health, and economic challenges faced by Northern Ireland’s population, the research will provide insights to inform future updates – ensuring it remains a reliable tool for researchers and policymakers.
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Perinatal mental health: The role of social inequalities and domestic abuse on maternal outcomes
17 January 2025
This project, led by researchers at ADR Northern Ireland, investigates how social inequalities and domestic abuse affect the health and survival of mothers with mental health conditions during pregnancy and after childbirth in Northern Ireland.
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ADR NI news
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How pay gaps research is informing policy in Northern Ireland
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This year's highlights: ADR Northern Ireland - understanding pay gaps and improving outcomes for the prison population
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The Education Outcomes Linkage 2018/19-2021/22 dataset is now available from ADR Northern Ireland
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The Cross Government Income Administrative Dataset 2019/20 is now available from ADR Northern Ireland
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Now receiving applications: Northern Ireland Census 2021 Comprehensive Microdata
Publications
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Data Insight: Physical health disparities and mortality among people with severe mental illness in Northern Ireland
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A young person’s guide for researchers: Co-producing data research with under-served groups
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Data Insight: External sales behaviour of Northern Ireland businesses: A focus on 10X sectors
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Young person's Data Insight: Childhood contact with social services and self-harm in young adulthood
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Data Insight: Firm-level analysis of NI trade: A focus on 10X priority clusters
Get in touch
You can contact ADRC NI by emai, ni@adruk.org. You can keep up to date with their latest news via Twitter and read more about the centre on the Queen’s University and Ulster University websites.
You can contact NISRA by emailing rsu@nisra.gov.uk or calling +44(0) 28 90 388488. You can keep up to date with their latest news via Twitter or their website.