On a cloudy morning in Citywest, Dublin, a group of women gather to share their experiences of raising young children locally. On the other end of the room, a trained childminder plays with their children, creating space for discussion. One participant reflects:
“I don’t feel there is much support around here, and what is available feels hidden to those who have recently moved here.”
This sentiment was echoed throughout a two-day engagement process led by Dinah Bornat of ZCD Architects in 2024. The sessions marked the starting point in a wider effort to better understand what it means to be a parent of young children in Citywest -and how the design of new housing developments might better respond to those lived experiences.
This local perspective reflects a broader structural challenge. Housing affordability has become an increasing focus globally, as rising rents and constrained supply continue to shape the market. In the case of Ireland, rents have increased by 78% since 2015, and in 2024, Dublin recorded average rents of over €2,100 per month.[1] A report from the European Parliament references a “locked out generation”, unable to buy or rent.[2]
Pope, C. (2025). Average monthly rent exceeds €2,000 for the first time. The Irish Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/05/19/irish-average-rents-cross-2000-for-first-time-as-rate-of-increase-speeds-up/.
Henley, J. (2025). European progressives must tackle housing crisis to beat far right, say researchers. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/27/european-progressives-must-tackle-housing-crisis-to-beat-far-right-say-researchers.
Introducing: Citywest Drive
This is the context in which we find Citywest, a suburban development to the southwest of Dublin with a population of around 8,000, and a practical example of how these challenges are being addressed. In 2021, the Van Leer Foundation partnered with real estate investment manager PATRIZIA and developer Ardstone, along with strategic impact adviser Neighborhood Lab, to support the acquisition and development of Citywest Drive. The scheme has since been delivered to Tuath Housing, the Approved Housing Body, providing 290 for-rent social housing units alongside shared public spaces across six residential blocks.
PATRIZIA/ 3D Design Bureau
Why housing matters for families with young children
The Van Leer Foundation’s work and research on housing has made clear that affordability is the number one priority for parents with young children – and one of the greatest contributors to parental stress. Children growing up in households experiencing high cost burdens (where more than 50% of income is spent on rent) are far more likely to experience adverse outcomes in their cognitive development, as well as their physical, social and emotional health (Newman & Holupka, 2016).[3] Indeed, periods of economic and residential instability could place a significant strain on parents’ time and attention, reducing their capacity to engage consistently with their children and support early development (Kalil, 2015).[4] Prof. James Heckman’s research has shown that relationships within a family play a key role in shaping lifelong outcomes, particularly through their influence on cognitive and non-cognitive skills development.[5]
Newman, S. & Holupka, C.S. (2016). Housing Affordability and Children’s Cognitive Achievement. Health Affairs, 35(11), 2029-2099. 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0718.
Kalil, A. (2015). Inequality begins at home: The role of parenting in diverging destinies of rich and poor children. In P.R. Amato et al. (Eds.), Families in an era of increasing inequality: Diverging destinies (pp. 63-82). Springer International Publishing/Springer Nature: 10.1007/978-3-319-08308-7_5.
Heckman, J (2008). Schools, Skills, and Synapses. IZA Discussion Paper (3515). https://heckmanequation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Schools_Skills_Synapsis.pdf.
Placing families at the centre with the Family Voices Toolkit
Given the housing pressures facing Citywest (along with many other areas across Ireland) and recognising that around 33% of future residents are likely to be parents with young children,[6] the Foundation saw an opportunity to pilot the Family Voices Toolkit. Developed in 2024, the toolkit is designed to capture the perspectives of families, especially those with babies and toddlers, who are often underrepresented in formal consultation processes, not least because the demands of caring for young children leaves little margin for participation.
“I feel welcome, but not sure I belong, as there is nowhere to go and make friends.”
In April 2024, ZCD Architects facilitated workshops with parents of young children over two days, to explore their experiences living in the area. The sessions combined mapping exercises – of both the local neighbourhood and participants’ homes – with a walking tour of green spaces in the area, helping to surface priorities for outdoor environments at Citywest Drive.
A couple of key insights emerged:
- Outdoor spaces are not always designed with children in mind. Early engagement, ahead of finalising landscape plans, unlock the potential for such perspectives to be shared with public real design teams; and
- Recruiting for family-friendly engagement can be difficult. Given the nature of parenting demands and schedules, it takes intentionality, sensitivity and investment to actively engage this group.
While the workshops provided valuable input into the development’s design, they were also community-building opportunities in their own right. Participants reflected: “I really loved meeting other people from the community and sharing thoughts on improving kids’ spaces, and how we want our homes to be.” and “The session was informative and it was good to meet other mothers from the area.”
Local analysis carried out by PATRIZIA, Ardstone and Neighborhood Lab, 2024.
Understanding the Community: Neighborhood Lab and Ardstone
Working in parallel with these workshops, Neighborhood Lab, drawing on their expertise in design analysis and community engagement, supported developer Ardstone to conduct a community screening with 400 local residents in September 2024 to build a more holistic understanding of the local context.
This analysis is part of the wider social value framework provided by PATRIZIA (developed by Neighborhood Lab) for local partners. The framework provides partners with information on shared goals and the necessary tools and processes for achieving those goals.
Ofri Earon, founder of Neighborhood Lab, said that it’s thanks to requirements set by PATRIZIA that developers like Ardstone were encouraged to carry out such locally-focused analysis.
“This is a pioneering approach – with a clear vision and strategy for creating social impact from the outset, rather than retrofitting it later on. Working across a portfolio with a shared strategy is a win-win for both PATRIZIA and its local partners, as it systematises the work and makes it easier to navigate.” – Ofri Earon
The screening reinforced that while creating spaces for the community is a good first step, spaces need to also be ‘activated’ and shaped by the community. Residents are looking both for places to gather, as well as for structured opportunities to meet others and play an active role in shaping their neighbourhood. Design and aesthetics play an important role but a sense of involvement and active participation is just as important.
The analysis also pointed to concerns around safety. Among respondents who reported feeling unsafe during the day, 71% had already considered moving away. This is particularly significant for families with young children: parents – who spend around 80% of their time in or around their homes – will be much less likely to leave the house and spend time in public and communal spaces if they are concerned for their children’s and their own safety. This could increase isolation levels and considerably shape the social and developmental outcomes of children growing up in and around Citywest. Given the significance of family environments in securing children’s outcomes, the scale of opportunity for Citywest Drive continues to emerge and grow.
Building on these insights, Ardstone undertook further engagement with municipal representatives, elected officials and community leaders to identify priority gaps in local provision. Two key gaps emerged consistently:
- Access to a library within walking distance; and
- The availability of high-quality childcare in the area.
Real spaces that meet family needs
These priorities have since been translated into tangible enhancements to the Citywest Drive development, including:
- A 1,400 sqm library has been incorporated into the scheme; and
- A 250 sqm childcare facility has been delivered, with a focus on supporting disadvantaged families.
Ardstone has also partnered with the YMCA, which will operate the childcare facility and deliver programming tailored to the needs of local families, helping to ensure the space is both accessible and responsive to the community it serves.
The example of Citywest Drive offers a few lessons for investors and developers who are seeking to deliver not just housing, but long-term social value in their developments:
- Engage early, designing with (not for) the community: this creates meaningful opportunities to weave lived experience into the development, making it a place that residents will want to take care of and stay in long-term;
- Adopt a layered and participatory approach to engagement: making space for ongoing interaction. This surfaces deeper insights and strengthens community ownership of the development;
- Prioritise groups who are often missing from engagement: parents with young children in particular require a tailored approach (including childcare provision and flexible formats) to enable substantive participation; and
- Think beyond infrastructure: while high quality design matters, activating spaces and supporting social connections are equally critical to creating places where people feel they belong.
More than a series of consultation exercises, the layered approach adopted at Citywest enabled early community-building. Whether creating space for parents and caregivers to connect during a particularly demanding stage of life or hearing from key stakeholders who are intimately in touch with the communities’ needs. It meant that both lived experience and local knowledge informed the development.
As a result, Citywest Drive is an example of an affordable housing project that has moved beyond the provision of housing alone. It has enabled a sense of connection to both community and place, which we know is vital for new parents embarking on a new phase in their lives. This is the kind of added social value that becomes possible when engagement is approached not simply as a requirement, but as an opportunity to strengthen communities from the outset.
Stories
Living in good housing in our first 5 years shapes our entire lives
Guide
How Good Housing Ensures a Good Start for Children and Parents
Toolkit
Family Voices Toolkit
