50 Years of Life in Britain
By Centre for Longitudinal Studies – UCL Institute of Education
Join us as we celebrate 50 years of the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70), which has been following the lives of 17,000 people born in Great Britain during a single week in 1970. This podcast series takes listeners on a journey through British social and political history, and explores BCS70’s numerous contributions to British science and society. Across six episodes, the series tells our study members’ story and charts the first five decades of the study.
Produced by Fresh Air Production
Latest episode
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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 Br… -
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 … -
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… -
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’ nume… -
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 partic… -
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… -
Trailer
Welcome to "50 years of Life in Britain"
