The UK Millennium Cohort Study
The Long View: Longitudinal Studies in Scotland
February 26 2004
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 Study1970: 1970 British Birth Cohort Study
MCS: the first national birth cohort study for 30 years 2000-1
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-completionEthnicity & 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
ChildrenFamilies
interviewed Partners
Lone Parents
Total UK 398 20,646 18,819 18,553 13,441 3,194
ENGLAND 200 13,146 11,695 11,533 8,485 1,853
WALES 73 3,000 2,799 2,761 1,933 590
SCOTLAND 62 2,500 2,370 2,336 1,727 375
N IRELAND 63 2,000 1,955 1,923 1,296 376
Achieved ResponsesNumber of sampled
wards
Target sample as boosted
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% I
nte
rvie
wed
England Wales Scotland N.I.
Adv
Dis
Eth
All
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 18553 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
54%
60% 58%
64%
40% 40%
47% 45%
21%
10%
30%
50%
70%
England Wales Scotland NI
Children 9-10 months old, 2001-2
Advantaged Disadvantaged Ethnic
Parents Employment in Scotland
Parents Employment in Scotland
Scotland UK
Two Parent Families
Both Working 57.1% 53.9%
Father only Working 32.1% 37.8%
Mother only Working 2.9% 2.2%
Neither Working 6.6% 6.1%
Lone Parent Families
Lone Parent Working 33.8% 24.7%
Lone Parent Not Working 66.2% 75.3%
Mother’s Breast-feeding by country
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
%
England Wales Scotland NI UK
One dayor more
Onemonth ormore
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 5 2005-6 Age 7 2007-8
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 child’s hospital episodes?
Useful Websites for Further Information
http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/Cohort/MCS/mcsmain.htmMillennium Cohort Study (MCS) Main pageIncludes: Rationale, Surveys, MCS Launch, Data Archive, Documentation, Contact details
http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/Cohort/MCS/Publications/mainpubs.htmAnnual report, Conference Papers, Journal Articles
http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid=6186Bedford Group (BG) on the Institute of Education (IoE) Website
http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid=6194&6194_0=8239MCS on BG/IoE Website including the MCS Users Guide to Initial Findings (Descriptive
Report)