The Wirral Child Health and Development Study

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Behaviour problems in young children are common and account for half the referrals to community Child and Family Mental Health services in the UK. Most worryingly, there is clear evidence that without intervention behaviour problems evident in the preschool and primary school years are strongly predictive of serious antisocial behaviours, poor mental health and interpersonal problems in adulthood. Research on the possible causes of behaviour problems and their consequences has not focussed on the very earliest origins starting in the ante-natal period. The Wirral Child Health and Development study aims to improve on previous longitudinal research by trying to identify (i) antenatal and postnatal stressors that increase risk for the development of later child behaviour problems and (ii) processes in infants and their families that promote resilience in the face of stress. We will follow the progress of 1500 families expecting their first baby with brief measures until their baby reaches one year old. A sub-sample of about 300 mothers and babies will also be asked to complete detailed interview and mother-infant measures up to their first birthdays. We subsequently plan to follow them through childhood and into adult life. Starting in pregnancy, we aim to identify the most important early social, psychological and biological risk and protective factors so that we can inform and develop appropriate early therapeutic interventions/treatments to help families in future.