MCS Age 9 months Sweep

Main dataset available via the UK Data Service [SN 4683]. Visit the UK Data Service website to access the data.

The start of the 20th century saw the beginnings of a new national cohort study, the Millennium Cohort Study, a multi-purpose longitudinal study designed to chart the circumstances, growth and development of 19,517 children living in 398 areas in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Interviewers visited the cohort members’ homes and conducted face-to-face interviews with both resident parents. Parents also answered some questions via self-completion. Topics covered include family composition, housing and local area, parental education, employment and income, parental health, parenting activities and attitudes. Extensive information was collected about the new cohort member: ante-natal care, labour and delivery, breastfeeding, health, behaviour and development, childcare.

Permission was asked of the mother to link her hospital episode of delivery records and birth registration records to the MCS study data.