Pilot Surveys
We run smaller versions of the surveys as a pilot to test that the research will run smoothly and work effectively. This is a critical part of the Children of the 2020s study and will be invaluable in ensuring the study is as good as it can be. We will also be following up with these families as their child grows up.
If you are part of the pilot study, you will play a very important role in ensuring the study is run as effectively as possible. You will be invited to take part in each stage of the research before the main survey is launched. The data we collect from you will be used solely to inform the study design.
- Age 9 months pilot survey
- Age 2 years pilot survey
- Future stages
- What happens to my data if I am part of the pilot surveys?
- Key resources
Age 9 months pilot survey
In the Age 9 months pilot survey, we asked for your permission to link government records held about you and your child to your data. Although we asked, we have not done this. The reason we asked was to test our procedures for seeking permission, ahead of the main survey.
You were also invited to take part in testing a pilot version of the BabySteps app and, as a result, this meant that not all features were available.
Age 2 years pilot survey
If you took part in the Age 9 months pilot survey, you might also remember that we invited you to take part in BabySteps. BabySteps is a free smartphone app, designed by scientists to help parents and caregivers like you track their child’s learning and development, and to capture precious memories through comments, photos and videos. The app will continue to be a really important part of the next stage of the Children of the 2020s study.
In the Age 2 years pilot survey, we are keen to test the process of introducing the BabySteps app via the online surveys. This means we will explain the app and all its features, but we are asking you, as a pilot participant, to not download or attempt to register on the app. This will help us make improvements to how we explain the app to make the main survey the best it can possibly be.
We would like to ask you to take part again around the time your child turns 3, 4 and 5 years old so we can see how your child is growing up. We will get back in touch with you when it is time to take part again. Please get in touch with us if your contact details change.
What happens to my data if I am part of the pilot surveys?
The purpose of collecting your data is to inform the design of the main study therefore analysis of this data will be done by the core research team to inform the study design. Although we also asked for permission to link your data to administrative records help by government departments and agencies in the Age 9 months survey, we did not do this for participants taking part in the pilot study. The purpose of this was to test our procedures for seeking permission, ahead of the main survey.
Latest version of the pilot survey privacy notices:
Age 9 months pilot survey
Age 2 years pilot survey