Introduction to ECHILD: Linked data from health, education and children’s social care

Join this in-person course for a practical introduction to the Educational and Child Health Insights from Linked Data (ECHILD) dataset.

Delivered by expert ECHILD users, including Dr Ruth Blackburn, Professor Katie Harron, Dr Matt Jay, Dr Ania Zylbersztejn, Dr Vincent Nguyen, Dr Louise McGrath Lone, Dr Joseph Lam, Dr Eliazar Luna and Dr Rocio Mendez Pineda, this course will provide participants with an understanding of how linked health, education and children’s social care data can be used to answer important research questions.

The course is designed for analysts and researchers who want to learn more about ECHILD, including its component datasets, strengths and limitations, access arrangements, and how it can support policy-relevant research.

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This intermediate-level course is aimed at participants with some prior knowledge of epidemiological research methods and statistical analysis. Familiarity with R or Stata is required.

Participants do not need prior experience of using administrative data, but this would be an advantage.

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This two-day course combines lectures, case studies and practical sessions to introduce participants to the opportunities and challenges of working with ECHILD.

Day one will introduce the different component datasets within ECHILD, including:

• National Pupil Database (NPD)
• Hospital Episode Statistics (HES)
• Maternity Services Data (MSDS)
• Mental Health Services Data (MHSDS)
• Community Services Dataset (CSDS)

Participants will explore case studies demonstrating how ECHILD can be used for research, as well as the strengths and limitations of linked administrative data. The day will also cover designing research studies using ECHILD, accessing data through the ONS Secure Research Service (SRS), and key considerations when working with linked datasets.

Day two will focus on practical sessions using R and Stata. Participants will work through an exemplar research study using ECHILD, covering:

• Developing electronic cohorts
• Phenotyping to define exposures, outcomes and covariates
• Preparing and analysing longitudinal cohort data
• Using linked administrative data for policy evaluation and population research

By the end of the course, participants will:

• Understand what data is available in ECHILD
• Understand the strengths and limitations of ECHILD
• Know how to access ECHILD data
• Understand how to develop electronic cohorts using linked administrative data
• Have practical experience analysing ECHILD cohort data

Who should attend?

This course is aimed at academic and government researchers, analysts and other professionals who want to understand how ECHILD can be used for policy-relevant research.

It is suitable for:

• Researchers interested in using ECHILD in their own work
• Analysts working with administrative data
• Those wanting to understand how linked health, education and social care data can generate new insights

Participants should have a basic understanding of epidemiological research methods and statistical analysis, and should be comfortable using either R or Stata.

Event details

When: 09:30–17:00, Monday 28 September – Tuesday 29 September 

Where: Friend’s House (Elizabeth Fry Suite), 173–177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ

Cost:

• £60 per teaching day for students registered at a university
• £150 per teaching day for staff at academic institutions, Research Councils, public sector organisations, registered charities and recognised research institutions
• £350 per teaching day for all other participants

Fees include event materials and morning and afternoon refreshments. Travel and accommodation costs are not included.

How to register: Register via the NCRM website.

About ECHILD

ECHILD (Educational and Child Health Insights from Linked Data) is a collection of linked, longitudinal administrative datasets bringing together information from health, education and children’s social care.

By linking information across these different areas of children’s lives, ECHILD enables researchers to explore how health, educational experiences and social circumstances interact over time, supporting research that can inform policy and improve outcomes for children and young people.

More information about ECHILD and resources for researchers can be found on the ECHILD website.