The first interviews with the parents of some 5,000 Scottish babies – around a quarter of all babies born in Scotland during 2026 – are being conducted this week as part of a once-in-a-generation study into how children develop in the modern world.

Generation New Era will follow 30,000 babies born across the UK in 2026, building an up-to-date picture of children's development and examining what it means to raise a child in the modern world, with the aim of informing public policy to better meet the needs of families

Parents selected for the study will receive a letter when their babies are around nine to 10 months old, with interviews taking place over the coming year.

The study, the first UK-wide study of its kind in 25 years, is being funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and led by the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, which will bring together leading researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh, Swansea and Ulster.

Parents selected for the study will be asked about their babies' development and health, parental health, family life, social and environmental influences, inequality, disadvantage and diversity.

Families will be invited to take part in a further interview when their child is three years old.

Professor Ailsa Goodman, Co-Director of the study at UCL, says the research will provide valuable insights into the challenges facing families:

“The world children are growing up in is changing fast. Generation New Era will listen to families from all walks of life, especially families whose voices are often missing from research. The study will help shine a light on the challenges and opportunities they face today.”

Study director for Scotland, Professor Rebecca Reynolds from the University of Edinburgh says:

“We are excited to be launching this important study in Scotland. The findings will give us new insights into the growth and development of children and how we can best optimise their health going forwards.”

Fathers are a big focus of the research, and the study aims to include all parents, including those who do not live with their baby, even if they have little contact.

Families receiving invitations are strongly encouraged to participate to ensure the research includes a representative mix of families from across the UK. However, parents cannot volunteer without an invitation, as the research team says participants must be selected to ensure the study reflects the diversity of families across the UK.

Read more: Highland children hit by poverty and geography; Politicians must take ‘bold’ action on child poverty; Scotland leads world first in premature baby gut trial; Breastfeeding project bridges generations

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