Study to monitor 18,000 children

THE lives of 18,000 children will be monitored over four years in a Government study to see what factors are affecting their upbringing.

The study will examine the children’s background, family, education and health and the information gathered will be used to inform future Government policy. It will allow comparisons across a number of sectors, including between rich and poor children and urban and rural.

The study will trace the progress of two groups of children, one group of 10,000 from birth until they reach primary school, and another of 8,000 children from the age of nine until they get to secondary school.