The Wirral Child Health & Development Study (WCHADS) 

The Wirral Child Health & Development Study (WCHADS) is a longitudinal prospective birth cohort of first-time mothers, their partners and children (n=1,233) born in 2007-2009 in the Wirral, UK. The study is led by Professor Jonathan Hill and Dr Nicky Wright at Manchester Met, the study sponsor, and Professor Helen Sharp at the University of Liverpool. The study was designed to assess the earliest origins of mental health problems, with an initial focus on behavioural problems, which has expanded to include emotional problems as the sample reached adolescence. Families have completed 18 waves of in person or questionnaire assessment since pregnancy up to currently at age 16 years. Assessments included exposure to stress during pregnancy or in early life, aspects of the parent-child relationship, genetic make-up, family and peer relationships, cognitive and language development, physiological development, poverty and social circumstances. Going into adolescence WCHADS has also measured social media use, friendships, bullying and isolation, physical activity levels and physical development; risky behaviours and physical and psychological changes associated with puberty. WCHADS is available for use by researchers by application (see https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/population-health/research/groups/first-steps/information-for-researchers/ for further information). WCHADS has a sister cohort in Bangalore, India, with parallel measurement up to age 9 years, which allows the examination of cross-cultural processes in child and parent mental health.