The Centre for Longitudinal Studies is holding a series of in-person consultation events in October to seek input from researchers, third sector organisations and policymakers across the UK on plans for a new nationwide birth cohort study – Generation New Era.
Join us at one of these upcoming events to help ensure this groundbreaking new study meets the needs of data and evidence users everywhere.
Formerly referred to as the Early Life Cohort, Generation New Era will follow a cohort of around 30,000 babies born in 2026. Launching soon, subject to confirmation of funding from the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council, it will be the first study of its kind in 25 years.
Generation New Era will capture rich information about many aspects of the participants’ lives in their early years and beyond, with data collections initially at two key developmental stages – between 9-11 months and again at 3-4 years. The intention is that Generation New Era will track the children and their families throughout their lives.
Generation New Era’s design will aim to maximise the participation of seldom-heard families. The study sample will have boosts for babies born into disadvantaged and ethnic minority families, and boosts of babies born in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The study will also seek to engage as many fathers as possible in the study as well as mothers, including parents living all or most of the time in a different household to their child.
The new study is an exciting addition to the UK’s impressive collection of national and regional birth cohort studies, and follows on from the recent success of the Early Life Cohort Feasibility Study, which surveyed a cohort of around 2,000 babies in the UK in 2023-24.
There will be much to do to get the study off the ground, including country-level approvals and community engagement. We are seeking input to make sure the study generates data for research on the topics of most value to our society today. As part of our open scientific consultation, we are holding a series of four in-person events in October, in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
These consultation events will be an opportunity to influence the content of the survey for the initial wave when the babies are 9-11 months of age. A draft of the survey can be found here, which is the questionnaire used for the Early Life Cohort Feasibility Study (fieldwork 2023-2024). This questionnaire was informed by a consultation held in 2021. We will also be seeking your advice about the longitudinal data collection strategy going forwards beyond the first wave.
These events are open to anyone who will potentially use data or evidence from Generation New Era in the future or who has a more general interest in cohort study data. You do not need to have any prior knowledge of cohort studies to attend – we are interested to hear from a wide range of people about data and evidence needs.
Places are limited. Follow the links below for full details and to register.
Book now:
There will be a drinks reception from 5–7pm after the events in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast for those who can stay.
These events are a unique opportunity for data and evidence users from all four UK countries, representing different sectors and fields of interest, to find out more about the new study and contribute to its contents.
“Your input is critical to ensuring that Generation New Era is innovative and meets the needs of researchers, policymakers and practitioners. Please come along and have your say.”
Professor Alissa Goodman, Study Director, Generation New Era
If you are not based in the UK, and can’t get to one of these events, or if you can’t make the dates and times for other reasons, there will be future opportunities to get involved in how the new study develops.
Sign up to our mailing list to stay up to date with Generation New Era.
Ryan Bradshaw
Editorial Content Manager
Phone: 020 7612 6516
Email: r.bradshaw@ucl.ac.uk
Centre for Longitudinal Studies
UCL Social Research Institute
20 Bedford Way
London WC1H 0AL
Email: clsdata@ucl.ac.uk
