1. The Millennium Cohort Study Shirley Dex Institute of Education, University of London Centre for Longitudinal Studies

2. Why cohort studies are important Birth cohort studies are expensive compared to cross-sectional surveys, but they are important because: They tell the linked stories of the lives of the members They record how long someone occupies a given state They link events across the life course & across domains They enable investigation of the cause & effects, early experience to later outcomes

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 3 types of ward; advantaged, disadvantages and high minority ethnic Content multi-purpose & multidisciplinary

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

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

6. MCS1 sample size, by country

7. MCS Response Rates, By Country Achieved Response Rate In-scope Fieldwork Response Rate WALES72%84% ENGLAND68%82% SCOTLAND70%85% NORTHERN IRELAND 63%79%

8. Patterns of Parenthood at the beginning of the 21 st Century Family Type by Mothers Age

9. Patterns of Parenthood at the beginning of the 21 st Century Family Type by Babys Ethnic Identity

10. Patterns of Parenthood at the beginning of the 21 st Century Non-resident fathers Frequency non-resident father sees baby 36.4% - not in any contact 14.6% - less than once a month or never 17.9% - at least once a week 16.7% - 3-6 times a week 14.4% - every day

11. Patterns of Parenthood at the beginning of the 21 st Century Grandparents Financial help for essentials 24.7% of mothers parent(s) 21.1% of fathers parent(s) Provision of childcare while at work 35.3% of mothers parent(s) 18.8% of fathers parent(s) Co-residence 4.5% with mothers parent(s) 2% with fathers parent(s)

12. Patterns of Parenthood at the beginning of the 21 st Century Living with grandparents by Babys Ethnic Group

13. Mothers who ever breastfed by type of ward Sample: All MCS mothers.

14. Parents units of alcohol consumption

15. Types of childcare used when main respondent a) at work or college and b) at other times

16. Parents Employment Parents Employment inUK Two Parent Families Both Working54.5% Father only Working36.4% Mother only Working2.4% Neither Working6.7% Lone Parent Families Lone Parent Working24.7% Lone Parent Not Working75.3%

17. MCS2: Design & Fieldwork The second MCS survey is taking place around the time of the childrens third birthdays The survey will follow all those 18553 families who took part in MCS1 plus some 500 New families in England who were missed by DWP last time Fieldwork started in September 2003 in England & Wales and in December in Scotland & Northern Ireland. MCS2 includes Mums (60 mins), Dads ( 17mins), the cohort children themselves ( ca 30mins) and older siblings

18. MCS2: Elements of the survey – Cohort Child (20 minutes) Cognitive assessments: British Ability Scales (II) Naming Vocabulary subscale – designed to measure expressive language & knowledge of names Bracken Basic Concept Scale – Revised (BBCS-R) MCS uses subscales 1-6: 1.Colours - primary & basic colour items 2.Letters - upper & lowercase letters 3.Numbers/Counting - single- and double-digit numbers & counting 4.Sizes - one, two & three dimensions 5.Comparisons 6.Shapes - one, two, and three dimensional shapes

19. MCS2: Elements of the survey – Cohort Child (Contd.) Measurement of Height & Weight Sample of Saliva (not for DNA purposes) Interviewer observation of home environment & neighbourhood

20. 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

21. MCS: The Future of Data collection Future surveys are planned for: Age 5 2005-6 Age 72007-8 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 childs hospital episodes?

22. Useful Websites for Further Information http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/Cohort/MCS/mcsmain.htm Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) Main page Includes: Rationale, Surveys, MCS Launch, Data Archive, Documentation, Contact details http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/Cohort/MCS/Publications/mainpubs.htm Annual report, Conference Papers, Journal Articles http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid=6186 Bedford Group (BG) on the Institute of Education (IoE) Website http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid=6194&6194_0=8239 MCS on BG/IoE Website including the MCS Users Guide to Initial Findings (Descriptive Report)