The UK Millennium Cohort Study The Long View: Longitudinal Studies in Scotland February Lisa Calderwood Centre for Longitudinal Studies Institute of Education, University of London

British Birth Cohort Studies  Previous UK/GB National Studies: 1946: MRC National Survey of Health & Development 1958: National Child Development Study 1970: 1970 British Birth Cohort Study  MCS: the first national birth cohort study for 30 years  1958, 1970 & MCS based at IOE

Objectives of MCS  To chart the initial conditions of the social, economic and health advantages and disadvantages facing new children in the new century  To capture information for the future  To compare patterns of development with other cohorts  To collect information on previously neglected topics, such as father’s involvement, & child care …………./

…Objectives  To chart the experience of mothers and fathers  To emphasise intergenerational links  To investigate the wider social ecology of the family, including community and services, splicing in geo-coded data when available.  To provide evidence for the National Evaluation of Sure Start and of the Children’s Fund -in England.

MCS Sponsors  Economic & Social Research Council  ONS consortium of Government Departments:  ONS  DfES  DWP  DoH  Welsh Assembly  Scottish Executive  NI Executive  SureStart –National Evaluation in England

Government-funded enhancements  Boosted original sample size 15,000 to 20,000+  Extending first interview of mother and father  Incorporation of linkage of heath records & neighbourhood data  Further analyses and reports  Supplementary surveys of fertility treatment & Health Visitors Survey of older siblings at age 3

Design Features of MCS  Cohort born over 12 month period  Season of birth effects  Spread workload of professional interviewers  Sampling necessitated  Geographically clustered by electoral ward  Wards being disproportionately stratified  Better approach to issue of community & local services  Content multi-purpose & multidisciplinary but with greater emphasis on social rather than medical

MCS First Survey Fieldwork & Data  Birth dates  England & Wales: September 2000 to Aug 2001  Scotland & N. Ireland:Dec 2000 to Jan 2002 (+ 6 weeks)  Fieldwork – child 9-10 months old  England & Wales: June 2001 to Aug 2002  Scotland & N. Ireland:September 2001 to Jan 2003  Data Archive Deposit: May 2003

Elements and content of the first survey: Mother (75 mins)  Interview  Self-completion Ethnicity & language Baby’s father Lone parenthood Pregnancy, labour & delivery Baby’s health & development Childcare Grandparents, friends & social support Parental health Education & training Employment & earnings Housing, local community & services Time with & without the baby Other interests Baby’s temperament & behaviour Relationship with partner Previous relationships Domestic tasks Previous pregnancies Mental health Attitudes to relationships, parenting, work, etc

Elements and content of the first survey: Father (30 mins)  Interview  Self-Completion Ethnicity & language Father’s involvement with baby Grandparents, friends & social support Parental health Education & training Employment & earnings Time with & without the baby Other interests Baby’s temperament & behaviour Relationship with partner Previous relationships Children living elsewhere Mental health Attitudes to relationships, parenting, work, etc

MCS1 sample size, by country

MCS1 response, by strata and country

MCS2: Design & Fieldwork  The second MCS survey is taking place around the time of the children’s third birthdays  The survey will follow all those families who took part in MCS1  Fieldwork started in September 2003 in England & Wales and in December 2003 in Scotland & Northern Ireland  MCS2 includes Mums (60 mins), Dads (17mins), the cohort children themselves (30mins) and older siblings

MCS2: Elements of the survey  Cognitive assessments  British Ability Scales (II)  Bracken Basic Concept Scale – Revised (BBCS-R)  Measurement of Height & Weight  Sample of Saliva (not for DNA purposes)  Interviewer observation of home environment & neighbourhood  Older Siblings

Employment of MCS mothers by country and type of area

Parents Employment in Scotland ScotlandUK Two Parent Families Both Working57.1%53.9% Father only Working32.1%37.8% Mother only Working2.9%2.2% Neither Working6.6%6.1% Lone Parent Families Lone Parent Working33.8%24.7% Lone Parent Not Working66.2%75.3%

Mother’s Breast-feeding by country

Father’s Involvement in Scotland  88% of Fathers in Scotland (85% UK) look after the cohort child at least weekly and 66% of Fathers in Scotland (57% UK) change a nappy at least once a day.  Longitudinal Evidence  A strong father figure is associated with academic success (Flouri et al 2003)  Girls whose fathers are involved in their upbringing are less likely to have mental health problems in later life (Flouri and Buchanan 2002)

MCS1: A User’s Guide to Initial Findings.  Household structure characteristics  Ethnic identity  Partnerships and parenthood  Wider family  Pregnancy, delivery and labour  Babies’ health and development  Parenting and parents’ psycho-social adjustment  Parents’ health  Parental employment and education  Child care  Income and Benefits  Housing and the area  Citizenship

Analysis Possibilities  MCS1 now  MCS2 mid 2005  Cross cohort analysis  Cross source e.g. census,  International comparisons  Canada,  Australia  USA  Young Lives: Ethiopia, India, Vietnam, Peru  Scandinavia

MCS: The Future of Data collection  Future surveys are planned for:  Age  Age etc…….  Possible future design elements  Obtain info on or from daycare provider at 3  At 5 and 7 Repeat interviews with resident parents  Repeat cognitive and behavioural assessments with children  Collect information from Schools?  Collect information on child’s hospital episodes?

Useful Websites for Further Information Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) Main page Includes: Rationale, Surveys, MCS Launch, Data Archive, Documentation, Contact details Annual report, Conference Papers, Journal Articles Bedford Group (BG) on the Institute of Education (IoE) Website MCS on BG/IoE Website including the MCS Users Guide to Initial Findings (Descriptive Report)