Eighty years ago this month, the United Kingdom pioneered a novel form of social science research, the life-long cohort study. The tool proved so powerful that it has been copied internationally, and repeated every decade or so in the UK….
…The National Survey of Health and Development, to give it the full current title, has proved a unique resource for health and social policy. In its early years, funding was often precarious but its contribution has more than justified the vision of the founders. Remarkably, it has had just four directors in its lifetime, which has undoubtedly contributed to the preservation of organizational memory. It is now accommodated alongside the 1958, 1970 and Millenium cohorts, with a 2026 cohort being recruited. The original punched cards have given way to a fully computerised archive, available for wider use under appropriate regulatory conditions. The website also includes the birthday cards that have been sent out every year since 1962 as a way for the team to keep in touch with the participants. It has been a great adventure for everyone – and there is still another wave and a birthday party to come!
A Social Science Space blog