Millennium Cohort Study

1. Sub-brand to go here Millennium Cohort Study Heather Joshi Director Centre for Longitudinal Studies CLS is an ESRC Resource Centre based at the Institute of Education

2. Aims of the presentation • Introduce the Millennium Cohort Study • Overview of data currently available • Discussion of new 2008 surveys and data that will be available in 2009 • Overview of possible future developments • Introduction to consultation

3. Aims of MCS To provide a multi-purpose long-term resource for the research and policy community: • To chart the initial conditions of the social, economic and health advantages and disadvantages facing children in the new century and their consequences • To observe intergenerational transmission of advantage and disadvantage and the processes involved • To compare patterns of development with other British and international cohorts • To collect information on previously neglected topics, such as father’s involvement, & child care • To investigate the wider social ecology of the family, including community and services, splicing in geo-coded data

4. MCS Study Design • Cohort born in all four seasons of the year • Includes children in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland • Geographically clustered by electoral ward • Over represents children from different ethnic groups and those in deprived areas

5. An initial snapshot • MCS began as an infant cohort study of nearly 19,000 children living at 9 months in 398 areas of the UK • Children in England and Wales wereborn between: September 2000 and August/2001 • one academic year • Children in Scotland and Northern Ireland were born between: 24/11/2000 and 10/1/2002 • spans two academic years

6. MCS Surveys • 9 month Survey fieldwork in 2001/2002 • Age 3 Survey fieldwork in 2003/2004 • Age 5 Survey fieldwork in 2006 (calendar year) • Age 7 Survey fieldwork in 2008 ( “ ) • Next follow-up likely at age11, fieldwork 2012 • Age 14 2015 • Age 17 2018

7. Number of Families responding in first 3 surveys

8. MCS Response a longitudinal view Note: Productive families are those with some data from at least one survey instrument at each wave So far, a total of 13802 (i.e.13234 + 568) have participated in all sweeps that they were eligible for. This is about 72% of the MCS cohort At MCS3, 1444 unproductive families at MCS2 were recovered (3rd row)

9. The Millennium Cohort Study content at glance ( to date)

10. Content of Parent Interviews • Household questionnaire (Either Parent) • Family Context (Main) • Early Education, schooling & childcare (Main) • Child & Family Activities (Main) • Parenting Activities (Main & Partner) • Child Health (Main) • Parent’s Health (Main & Partner) • Employment, Education and Income (Main & Partner) • Housing & Local Area (Main) + Interviewers Sweep2 • Social and Community Context (Main & Partner) • Self-completion (Main & Partner) • Older Siblings (Age 3 and 5) (Main)

11. Direct Assessments on Child • Cognitive Assessments • Age appropriate eg BAS Naming Vocab at 3 and 5, • BAS Pattern Construction at 5 and 7 • Self Completed Questionnaire • New at age 7 • Physical Measurements • Height • Weight (+ Body fat at age 7) • Waist Measurement • Physical Activity, age 7 ( WT funded)

12. MCS Add-on Projects • Linkage to administrative data • Maternity and birth registration • Hospital and primary care records • School Records ( + survey outside England) • Benefit and NI Records • Geo-coded data • Assisted fertility treatment ( MCS1 postal survey) • Oral fluid collection ( MCS2) • Nursery Observations ( MCS2) • Every Tooth Tells a Story ( postal collection) • Prediction and Prevention of Non-response ( MCS4) • Physical Activity ( MCS4)

13. What are the results? • 3rd descriptive report on MCS 3 due to be published on CLS website • Data from MCS 3 and age 5 teacher data collection in UK data Archive • Data from MCS 4 expected to reach Archive early 2010 • With documentation and enhancements as available. • The research community will help answer the question

14. What will come next? • Please join in the consultation about the proposed continuation on the survey into the adolescent years. • Key ages have been suggested, but not necessarily funded. • How should the follow-up balance between repeating content from the first 4 surveys and adapting to change • in the cohort’s lives • in the world around them • and in data capture technology • How far and when should the balance of data collection shift from mother, father and teacher to the cohort member themselves? • Are the issues facing those growing up in the 21st Century still congruent with the study’s original aims?

15. Aims of MCS in the second decade A multi-purpose long-term resource for the research and policy community – more or less emphasis on biomarkers? Charting the of the social, economic and health conditions facing the cohort and their consequences Which dimensions of ‘development’? Beyond uni-directional accumulation of cognitive attainment, academic attainments and avoidance of adult-reported behavioural difficulties, freedom from illness and disability – identity, risk-taking, relationships, time use, physical activity, brain development ? The emergence of capabilities? Observation of intergenerational transmission of advantage and disadvantage and the processes involved Aspirations and expectations, agency of young person, role of school and peers. Comparison with other British and international cohorts Opportunities opening up, co-ordination through EUCCONET Collecting ‘new’ information, eg father’s involvement,- friends, internet, media, qualitative sub-studies, genetics, neuro-science? To investigate the wider social ecology of the family, including community and services, splicing in geo-coded data Schools, siblings

16. We seek your views • Thank-you for your attention

17. Website www.cls.ioe.ac.uk Please register for our consultation