Overview of key data sources: Growing Up in Scotland

Organisation responsible: Commissioned by the Scottish Executive Education Department, the first two years fieldwork and analysis will be undertaken by the Scottish Centre for Social Research in collaboration with the Centre for Families and Relationships at the University of Edinburgh.

Background and purpose: The survey forms a central part of the Scottish Executive's strategy for the long-term monitoring and evaluation of its policies for children, with a specific focus on the early years. It aims to describe the characteristics, circumstances and experiences of children in their early years (and their parents) in Scotland and to improve understanding of the factors associated with differences in longer-term outcomes, with particular reference to the role of early years service provision.

Study length: The survey comprises 2 cohorts of children (5,000 from birth, 3,000 from age 2) recruited from March 2005 to January 2006. Each cohort will be revisited annually until the child reaches 5 years of age. A new birth cohort may be started in 2008, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Survey content: The questions cover issues such as the child's birth and development, parents views on bringing up children, childcare and other resources used by parents to help bring up their children, parents health and circumstances and relationships within the household.

Target population: Young children resident in Scotland.

Sample size: Random stratified sample of 5,000 babies aged around 10.5 months at the time of initial interview and 3,000 toddlers aged around 34.5 months at the time of interview selected from Child Benefit Records held by the Department of Work and Pensions.

Response rate: Not yet known, first report scheduled for completion by summer 2006.

Method of data collection: Interviews are being carried out in participants' homes by trained social survey interviewers using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing with a self-completion supplement. Initially, interviews are being conducted with main carers, but as the cohort ages, these are likely to be supplemented and eventually replaced by interviews with the children themselves.

Smallest geographical unit reported: Scotland.

Availability of results and further information: The first report is scheduled for completion by the summer of 2006. The datasets will be lodged with the UK Data Archive. For further information see the study website or contact the research team at gus@scotcen.ork.uk.