Research and analysis

Children of the 2020s: second survey of families at age 2

Findings from the second wave of the Children of the 2020s (COT20s) longitudinal study.

Applies to England

Documents

COT20s - second survey of families at age 2 years: research report

COT20s - second survey of families at age 2 years: research brief

COT20s - wave 2: technical report

COT20s – home learning environment and screen time at age 2: research brief

Details

The Children of the 2020s (COT20s) study is DfE’s Education and Outcomes Pathways Study of the Early Years (EOPS Early Years). It collects longitudinal statistical evidence on the factors and mechanisms that influence cognitive and social-emotional development during early childhood.

These reports provide key findings from COT20s at age 2, using data from the primary caregiver survey of the second wave of data collection from the COT20s longitudinal study, conducted when the cohort children were 2 years old. The analysis focuses on:

  • family economic circumstances
  • use of early childhood education and care (ECEC)
  • mental health and wellbeing of primary caregivers
  • home learning environment
  • screen time and digital media use
  • parenting
  • children’s language development
  • children’s emotional and behavioural outcomes
  • variation in outcomes by family circumstances

A separate research brief summarising key findings on the home learning environment, screen time and digital media use is included.

The separate technical report explains how the study was conducted.

This study was commissioned by the Department for Education and led by University College London in partnership with Ipsos.

Children of the 2020s: first survey of families at age 9 months is also available.

Updates to this page

Published 11 January 2026
Last updated 26 February 2026 show all updates
  1. Added 'COT20s second survey of families at age 2: research report', 'COT20s second survey of families at age 2: research brief' and 'COT20s wave 2 technical report'.

  2. First published.

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