Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The Families and Children Study (FACS), formerly known as the Survey of Low Income Families (SOLIF), originally provided a new baseline survey of Britain's lone-parent families and low-income couples with dependent children. The survey was named SOLIF for Waves 1 and 2, and FACS from Wave 3 onwards. The FACS study has become a 'true panel', whereby 1999 respondents have been re-interviewed in subsequent annual waves in from 2000 to 2004, and new families added in each of these years, to allow representative cross-section as well as longitudinal comparisons. Starting with Wave 3 (2001) the survey was extended to include higher-income families, thereby yielding a complete sample of all British families (and the subsequent name change). From Wave 4 (2002) onwards, longitudinal comparisons can now be made. The main objectives of the survey are to:evaluate the effectiveness of the Government's work incentive measures in terms of helping people into work, improving living standards and improving child outcomes compare the living standards and outcomes for children and for families across the income distribution compare changes in the above across the waves since 1999 FACS also aims to provide commentary on longer-term objectives such as the Government's Public Service Agreement to eradicate child poverty within a generation. Further information, including links to reports and other publications, may be found on the DWP FACS web pages. Users should note that, in addition to the survey name change noted above, some of the documentation for the early waves refers to the survey as the Study of Families with Children. The original deposit of FACS, released in December 2001, contained data and documentation from the first wave. Further waves have been added at subsequent editions in 2003, 2004 (twice), 2005, 2006 and 2007. For the eighth edition (October 2010), three major changes were made to the study: data and documentation for Waves 8-10 were deposited for the first time; updated and improved data and documentation for Waves 3-7 were deposited to replace previous materials; and updated documentation covering all waves was deposited. Details of improvements to the redeposited Wave 3-7 data are included in the all waves user guide. For the ninth edition (January 2011), the Wave 10 technical report was added to the study.

Main Topics:

The FACS interviews comprise:one hour interview for the main respondent (typically the mother figure in the household)a 20 minute partner interviewTopics covered in the main interview include household characteristics, health and well-being, children's schooling, behaviour and childcare provision, use of local services, education and training, employment, family income, in-work support through the use of Working Families' Tax Credits (and its replacement tax credit system), receipt of benefits, child maintenance, money management and savings, housing, and material deprivation. The Wave 7 (2005) questionnaire included a new section on social capital for main respondents and partners. Partners in the household were also interviewed up to Wave 8. For Waves 9 and 10, a short proxy interview was completed with the main respondent. Waves 1-3 (1999-2001) also included a self-completion questionnaire for the main respondent and their partner, covering morale and various attitudinal questions. This was dropped for Wave 4. Waves 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 (but not Wave 7) included a short self-completion questionnaire for all children aged 11 to 15 in the family. The children's questionnaire covered leisure time activities, computer access, social participation, sport and organised activities, use of local amenities and attitudes to neighbourhood, alcohol use, smoking, illegal drug use, self-esteem, health and happiness, attitudes to school and schoolwork, relationship with parents, and income. For Waves 5-7, SPSS syntax files detailing specifications for derived variables are also available with the dataset.

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Face-to-face interview

Self-completion