Explore every episode of the podcast 50 Years of Life in Britain

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 speak to study participants about their experiences of lockdown.

We also find out more about the benefits of launching a new cohort study in the coming years.

Guests include:

• Professor Alice Sullivan, BCS70 director, who discusses her highlights and challenges running the study, and her hopes and dreams for its future.
• Professor Alissa Goodman, director of the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, on the COVID-19 survey and the future of Britain’s cohort studies.
• Study members, who share their COVID-19 lockdown experiences.

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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 chat to one of our in-house study detectives about the role they play tracing long lost study participants.

Guests include:

• Professor George Ploubidis, Research Director and Chief Statistician at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, discussing his work looking at the rising levels of depression among Generation X in middle age.
• Professor Mark Hamer, Professor of Sport and Exercise Medicine at UCL, providing insights on the Age 46 Biomedical Sweep – including why study participants were asked to stand on one leg.
• Mary Ukah, BCS70 Cohort Maintenance Officer, on how she manages to trace study members we have lost touch with.
• Study members, who share their memories of life in the 2010s, and taking part in the study.

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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 across the globe started using BCS70 in conjunction with other birth cohort studies to see how members of Generation X were faring compared to other generations. We also speak to study participants about their careers and lives in their thirties.

We explore the 2000s with:

• Professor Heather Joshi, former director of CLS and founder of the Millennium Cohort Study, who discusses her research on the gender pay gap and working mothers.
• Dr Jo Blanden, reader in economics at University of Surrey, who talks about her work on social mobility and how BCS70 continues to inform debate on this subject.
• Lord David Willetts, former Universities Minister and President of the Resolution Foundation, who explains the importance of BCS70 for informing government policy and thinking.
• Study members, who share their memories of life in the 2000s, and taking part in the study.

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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 Skills for Life adult learning programme. We also ask study participants what it was like to join the study again as adults and find out how they were getting on in the big wide world after the boom and bust years.

Guests include:

• Kate Smith, CLS survey manager for more than three decades, discusses how the BCS70 team kept the study going while on monthly contracts.
• Professor Heather Joshi, former director of CLS, reflects on the successful Age 26 Survey.
• Dr Sam Parsons, CLS research officer, and Professor John Bynner, former CLS director, who conducted the literacy and numeracy research.
• Sue Pember, former government policymaker, who was given responsibility for rolling out the Skills for Life education initiative in the new millennium.
• Study members who share their recollections of the 1990s and rejoining the study after a 10 year gap.

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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 what it was like sharing their 19th birthday with 4,000 other people at Alton Towers.

We explore these topics and more with:

• Professor John Bynner, former BCS70 director.
• Professor Alice Sullivan, current BCS70 director (also known as ‘Principal Investigator’ or ‘PI’ for short).
• Professor Scott Montgomery, epidemiologist and former BCS70 researcher.
• Study members, who share their memories of life in the 1980s, and taking part in the study.

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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 Feinstein, academic and author of one of the most well-known BCS70 studies, which influenced New Labour policy on early years education provision.
• Study members, who share their memories of growing up in the 1970s, and their early recollections of participating in the study.

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Welcome to "50 years of Life in Britain"

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