1. SIMONE CROFT USING PUBLICLY AVAILABLE COHORT STUDIES

2. 4 JEWELS IN THE ESRC CROWN National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) National Child Development Study (NCDS) 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) Address health and social policy questions Scientific interests Life course approach, birth -> grave Over 2,500 studies worldwide using the 4 studies

3. NATIONAL SURVEY OF HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT (NSHD) Medical Research Council Survey Aims Childhood: how home & school environment affect physical & mental development and educational attainment Adulthood: how childhood and social circumstances affect adult health and function; how these change with age. Retirement: biological and social issues associated with ageing Population: Over 13,000 mothers given birth in one week in March 1946 England, Scotland & Wales 5,362 subsample (socially stratified, singleton, married parents) 23 follow-ups Cohort members currently 69

4. NATIONAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT STUDY (NCDS) Perinatal Mortality Survey Aims Birth: social and obstetric factors associated with still births and neo-natal deaths Childhood: health, education and social development Adulthood: school -> work, intergenerational relationships, health inequalities, marriage, parenthood Population Over 17,500 mothers given birth in one week in 1958 England, Scotland, Wales All members followed up age 7, 11, 16, 23, 33, 42, 45, 50, 55. 9000 members provided biomedical data in 2003 (age 45) Cohort members currently 57

5. 1970 BRITISH COHORT STUDY (BCS70) National Birthday Trust Fund & R.C. Gynae & Obstetricians Aims Socio-economic circumstances, family background, cognitive development, educational achievement, employment, partnership histories and health-related behaviours. Population Over 17,000 mothers given birth in one week in 1970 England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland All members followed up age 5, 10, 16, 26, 30, 34, 38 and 42 4 day dietary diary provided by members at age 16 Cohort members currently 44

6. MILLENNIUM COHORT STUDY (MCS) Economic & Social Research Council; Dept for Children, Schools & Families; Dept for Health; Dept Work & Pensions Aims Initial conditions of social, economic and health advantages and disadvantages facing children born in the C21st Cover previously neglected topics, e.g. fathers' involvement Emphasis on parents influence and the wider social ecology of the family Population Over 19,000 mothers given birth between Sept’00 – Aug’01 England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland 1 st sweep approx. 9 months, then again at 3, 5, 7 and 11 Cohort members currently approx.15

7. WHAT DATA IS AVAILABLE? Quantitative data (questionnaires) Mother/primary caregiver reports of child members Self reports in older members Spouse, father, siblings, grandparents reports Teacher reports External reports Birth, medical, genetic data Educational, employment records National consensus, child benefits records Qualitative data: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avr8C9rO9lg

8. STRENGTHS Life course study – up to 69 years following the same cohort members Access to external records Qualitative data available Support & guidance on using datasets Very large sample sizes Cultural/regional comparisons

9. LIMITATIONS Datasets publicly available – duplication Overwhelming amount of data High quantity, low quality Missing data Lack of autonomy in questions (consultation) Discontinued measures