Next Steps: Sweeps 1-8, 2004-2016: Secure Access

<p></p>All serial numbers used to uniquely identify individuals, attached to data from the Next Steps cohort study, have been changed (third edition, June 2017). This change of serial numbers applies to all datasets from this cohort study (sweeps 1-8) that are deposited at the UK Data Archive. It also applies to the linked NPD data and all other Next Steps data available under Secure Access. The change has been made to improve the security of the data and increase safeguards on the confidentiality of cohort members; see the study document 'Notification of Change of Serial Numbers'. Also all school identifiers and university identifiers have been replaced with anonymised identifiers (fourth edition, October 2018) - the CLS will consider any requests for the actual data on a case by case basis.<p></p><p>For the fifth edition (January 2020), National Pupil Database pupil and exam level records data for Key Stages 4 and 5 have been added.<br></p> <p><i>Next Steps</i>, previously known as the 'Longitudinal Study of Young People in England' (LSYPE1), follows the lives of around 16,000 people born in 1989-90 in England. There have been eight sweeps of the study so far, between 2004 and 2016.<br> <br> The study began in 2004 and included young people in Year 9 who attended state and independent schools in England. Following the initial survey at age 13-14, the cohort members were interviewed every year until 2010, when they were aged 19-20, to map their journeys from compulsory schooling to university, training and, ultimately, entry into the labour market. The survey over the past seven sweeps (2004-2010) has thus mainly focused on the educational and early labour market experiences of young people, but also included diverse information on aspects of their lives including social participation and attitudes, risky-, crime- and anti-social behaviours, health and wellbeing, family formation, and aspirations for the future. The survey data has also been linked to the National Pupil Database (NPD) records, including cohort members' individual scores at Key Stage 2, 3 and 4.<br> <br> Interviews for the first four sweeps were conducted face-to-face, and young people were interviewed along with their parents. At Sweeps 5 to 7, a mixed mode approach was introduced and respondents – the young person only - could complete the interview online, over the telephone, or face-to-face.<br> <br> The first seven sweeps of the study (2004-2010) were funded and managed by the Department for Education (DfE). In 2013 the management of Next Steps was transferred to the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) at the UCL Institute of Education.<br> <br> In 2015 Next Steps was restarted, under the management of CLS, to find out how the lives of the cohort members have turned out at age 25. The eighth sweep of the study took place between August 2015 and September 2016 with the fieldwork carried out by NatCen Social Research. The Next Steps age 25 survey was aimed at increasing the understanding of the lives of the young adults growing up today, and in particular the transitions out of education and into early adult life. It maintained the strong focus on education, but the content was broadened to become a more multi-disciplinary research resource. Data was collected about cohort members' education and job training, employment and economic circumstances, housing and family life, physical and emotional health, and identity and participation. A wide range of administrative data linkage consents were collected covering health, education, economics and criminal behaviour. The collection of the data involved a sequential mixed-mode design. Participants were first invited to participate online, non-responders were then contacted by telephone and face-to-face interview afterwards.<br> <br> The age 25 survey sample design comprised contacting all cohort members who had ever taken part in any of the previous sweeps of the study (except those who had given a clear refusal or are ineligible). Further information for Sweep 8 of Next Steps may be found on the <a class="external" href="http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/" title="Centre for Longitudinal Studies">CLS</a> website.<br> <br> <b>Secure Access datasets:</b><br> Secure Access versions of Next Steps have more restrictive access conditions than versions available under the standard End User Licence (see 'Access' section).<br> <br> Secure Access versions of the Next Steps include:</p><ul><li>sensitive variables from the questionnaire data for Sweeps 1-7. These are available under Secure Access SN 7104. All questionnaire data from Sweep 8 is released under End User licence.  <br></li><li>National Pupil Database (NPD) linked data at Key Stages 2, 3, 4 and 5. These are available under SN 7104.</li><li>Linked Individualised Learner Records learner and learning aims datasets for academic years 2005 to 2014.  These are available under SN 8577.<br></li><li>detailed geographic indicators for Sweep 1 and Sweep 8 (2001 Census Boundaries) - available under SN 8189 and geographic indicators for Sweep 8 (2011 Census Boundaries) - available under SN 8190. The Sweep 1 geography file was previously held under SN 7104.</li></ul>When researchers are approved/accredited to access a Secure Access version of Next Steps, the End User Licence version of the study - Next Steps: Sweeps 1-8, 2004-2016 (SN 5545) - will be automatically provided alongside.<br>