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Educational outcomes of children with major congenital anomalies: Study protocol for a population-based cohort study
Joachim Tan1,2, Ayana Cant2, Kate Lewis2
1NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Insights
Children with major congenital anomalies (CAs) face challenges in educational attainment. This study uses linked health and education data to compare their academic progress with peers up to age 11.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Educational Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Major congenital anomalies (CAs) affect 2% of births, causing significant morbidity and disability.
- Children with CAs often experience lower educational attainment due to health issues, learning disabilities, or inadequate support.
- Understanding educational trajectories is crucial for early intervention and support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the educational attainment of children with CAs to their peers up to age 11 in England.
- To identify factors influencing educational outcomes in children with CAs.
- To inform interventions and support for children at risk of academic challenges.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing the ECHILD database, linking hospital and educational records for children born between 2003-2008.
- Comparing academic performance (Maths, English) at Key Stages (ages 4/5, 6/7, 10/11) between children with and without CAs.
- Analyzing variations by sex, ethnicity, region, deprivation, and using regression modeling for attainment trajectories.
Main Results:
- (Study ongoing, results to be published) Expected to quantify differences in attainment and identify specific challenges.
- (Study ongoing, results to be published) Will reveal how sociodemographic factors interact with CAs to affect education.
- (Study ongoing, results to be published) Findings will highlight disparities and inform targeted support strategies.
Conclusions:
- This research will provide critical insights into the educational needs of children with CAs.
- Findings will empower parents with knowledge about academic potential and support development.
- Dissemination to stakeholders will facilitate evidence-based policy and practice improvements.
Background:
Major congenital anomalies (CAs) affect around 2% of live births and are a primary cause of infant mortality, childhood morbidity and long-term disability, often requiring hospitalisation and/or surgery. Children with CAs are at greater risk of lower educational attainment compared with their peers, which could be due to learning disabilities, higher rates of ill-health and school absences, or lack of adequate educational support. Our study will compare the educational attainment of children with CAs to those of their peers up to age 11 in England, using linked administrative health and education data.
Methods:
We will analyse data from the ECHILD (Education and Child Health Insights from Linked Data) database. Children born in NHS-funded hospitals from 1st September 2003 to 31st August 2008 whose hospital records were linked to their educational records at three Key Stages (ages 4/5, 6/7 and 10/11 years) will be included. Children with different CAs, indicated by recorded hospital diagnosis codes, will be compared to children without CAs. We will compare the proportions of enrolled children who take the assessment, the proportions who reached national expected levels of attainment, and the mean standardised attainment scores for Maths and English at each Key Stage. We will describe variations in outcome by sex, ethnic minority background, region, and neighbourhood deprivation, and perform regression modelling to compare the attainment trajectories of children with and without CAs, controlling for sociodemographic factors.
Ethics And Dissemination:
Ethics approval has been obtained for the analyses of the ECHILD database. Our findings will provide information for parents regarding their children's expected academic potential, and also enable the development of interventions to support those at risk of not doing well. We will disseminate our findings to academics, policy makers, service users and providers through seminars, peer-reviewed publications, conference abstracts and other media (lay summaries and infographics).
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