The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced the launch of the Generation New Era birth cohort study, the first UK-wide longitudinal study of children in 25 years. Funded with £42.8 million through the UKRI Infrastructure Fund and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the study will follow 30,000 children born in 2026 across all four nations of the UK. The research aims to create a comprehensive understanding of early childhood in 21st-century Britain and will support the government’s “Giving every child the best start in life” policy, informing improvements in education, healthcare, and social services.
Generation New Era continues the UK’s long-standing tradition of birth cohort studies, building on research such as the 1958 National Child Development Study, the 1970 British Cohort Study, the Millennium Cohort Study, and the Children of the 90s study. These past studies have provided critical evidence that has influenced policies, including reductions in maternal smoking, prevention of cot deaths, improvements in adult literacy, and the extension of maternity and paternity leave. UKRI emphasizes that the new study will provide similarly impactful insights for the next generation.
The study will be jointly led by Professors Alissa Goodman and Lisa Calderwood of the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies and Professor Pasco Fearon of the University of Cambridge. Data collection will occur at two key developmental stages—between nine and 11 months and again at three to four years—before children enter formal education. The research will examine physical, mental, and social development while exploring the effects of technological, environmental, and social changes on early childhood experiences. Generation New Era intends to track participants and their families throughout their lives to provide rich longitudinal data.
A pan-UK approach ensures that the study captures diverse experiences, with targeted recruitment in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, ethnic minority communities, and low-income families. Fathers and previously underrepresented groups will also be actively engaged to create inclusive and statistically robust insights. The study will collect vital data to inform government policies and early years services, ensuring evidence-based interventions that improve health, educational, social, and economic outcomes for children across the UK.
Generation New Era will also benefit from collaboration with Swansea University, Ulster University, and the University of Edinburgh. The study team will consult with parent and participant groups, the research community, and stakeholders in the autumn to shape questionnaire design and ensure successful implementation. By building on the UK’s historical expertise in longitudinal research, the study aims to support the health, development, and well-being of children born in 2026 and guide policies for future generations.
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