ICCS

In 2007 Longview merged with the International Centre for Child Studies, founded by Neville Butler who was a founder Trustee, sponsor of Longview and was based in Bristol. Through a long and successful career, sadly Neville died in 2007. Read Neville's obituary here.

History

ICCS was established initially to promote the 16 year old survey in the 1970 cohort study, known as ‘Youth Scan’. The evidence on young people’s situations collected in that survey supplied the basis for a long programme of research, which gained a new lease of life when the 1970 cohort study joined the 1958 cohort study in the Social Statistics Research Unit at City University. Promoting the development of the new studies, together with supplying a comparison of the lives of people born in 1970 with those born 12 years earlier in 1958, offered new opportunities for understanding how lives were changing in response to social, economic and political change. This work is exemplified in the book which extended comparisons to the even earlier 1946 cohort study, “Changing Britain, Changing Lives”. ICCS has continued to support research within this comparative framework and a lot more besides, particularly in the area of child health and development.

Research supported by ICCS was primarily concerned with the long-term health consequences of experiences in infancy, childhood and adolescence.The work programme also included studies of obesity and children growing up in care. An important new theme arising from Longview's work is “Escape from Disadvantage”.  The problems associated with disadvantage in early life present challenges through the whole of society.  Failing to escape from an economic and social disadvantage trap can lead to a disruptive and alienated adolescent life, drug or alcohol abuse and crime, the social and economic cost of which is born not only by individuals and their families, but by the whole of society.

Another strand of ICCS work was successful fund-raising events to support the work of the charity and ensure its future. These have included sponsored receptions at Claridges, lunches, receptions and a ball.

The ICCS office based in Bristol closed at the end of February 2009.