Prof. Edward Melhuish

Birkbeck, University of London
e-mail: e.melhuish@bbk.ac.uk

Edward Melhuish does research on understanding cognitive, social and communicative development in childhood particularly environmental influences through the use of longitudinal studies.  His interests include early childhood education and care; parenting; the longer term effects upon educational and social outcomes of early experience, and the linking of child development and social policy.  He has substantial experience of multi-disciplinary research involving cooperation both with social scientists and biological and medical scientists.  He has undertaken research in 12 countries.  His research has influenced policy on childcare, early education, child poverty and parental support in the UK and other countries.  He is an internationally recognised expert in the study of child development and social policy and has been a scientific advisor in the UK, Finland, Portugal, South Korea, Chile, Australia, Canada and the European Commission, OECD and WHO..

• Mills, M and Melhuish, E.C.  (1974)  Recognition of mother’s voice in early infancy.  Nature,  252, 123-124.
• Melhuish, E.C., Lloyd, E., Martin, S. and Mooney, A. (1990) Type of childcare at 18 months: II  Relations with cognitive and language development. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 861-870.
• Melhuish, E.C., Belsky, J., Anning, A., Ball, M., Barnes, J., Romaniuk, H., Leyland, A., & NESS Research Team (2007).  Variation in Sure Start Local Programme implementation and its consequences for children and families.  Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48, 543-551.
• Melhuish, E.C., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., & Phan, M.
• (2008) Effects of the Home Learning Environment and preschool center experience upon literacy and numeracy development in early primary school. Journal of Social Issues, 64, 95-114.
• Melhuish, E.C., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Phan, M. & Malin, A. (2008). Preschool influences on mathematics achievement. Science, 321, 1161-1162.
• Melhuish, E. Belsky, J., Leyland, A.H., Barnes, J. & NESS Research Team (2008).  Effects of fully-established Sure Start Local Programmes on 3-year-old children and their families living in England: a quasi-experimental observational study.  Lancet, 372, 1641-1647.
• Melhuish E. C. (2011). Preschool matters. Science, 333, 299-300.
• Sutcliffe, A., Barnes, J., Belsky, J., Gardiner, J., & Melhuish E. (2012). The health and development of children born to older mothers in the UK: An observational study using longitudinal cohort data. BMJ, 2012;345:e5116