2020, COVID-19 and the future

Our last episode of the series examines how BCS70 and our study members have been faring during the pandemic and looks to the future of longitudinal research. We find out more about the COVID-19 survey, sent to over 50,000 participants in five of Britain’s cohort studies, including BCS70, and we s…

Midlife, the 2010s and health and wellbeing

In this episode, we move into the 2010s to find out how our study members were faring in their forties. We learn how BCS70 cast light on increasing rates of mental ill-health among men, and find out more about the most recent biomedical survey where participants were given a health MOT. We also cha…

Social mobility, the 2000s and the gender pay gap

We move into the new millennium, when the study enjoyed a golden decade. With BCS70 greatly valued by scientists and policymakers, the study was funded to meet participants on three occasions and was regularly cited by New Labour in government policy. With this new-found recognition, researchers ac…

A new dawn, the 1990s and skills for life

We move into the 1990s to find out how the study and its staff survived the lean years of the 80s and early 90s, and managed to get back in contact with study participants after a 10 year gap. We learn about the study’s stark findings on adults’ numeracy and literacy, which led to the government's …

Youthscan, the 1980s and reading for pleasure

We move into the 1980s to find out how Neville Butler kept the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) going during a decade of austerity. We learn about the benefits of reading for pleasure for children’s English and maths skills. We also ask study participants about their teenage years and find out wha…

The British Births Survey, the 1970s and Tony Blair

We explore the first decade of the 1970 British Cohort Study (1970) and the impact of its early years research on policy many years later. Guests include: Professor Jean Golding, BCS70 researcher during the 1970s/80s, and founder of the ALSPAC study, known as ‘Children of the Nineties’. Dr Leon Fe…

Trailer

Welcome to "50 years of Life in Britain"