The aim of this substudy run by the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) is to generate a longitudinal cohort starting with infants in their first year of life. Therefore families are visited in their homes from the first wave. Substantial, theory-driven surveys are conducted with the children (as target persons) and their parents as well as with persons in charge outside of the home (group manager of the day nursery or the Kindergarten, childminders; from wave 2). This data will enable scientists to describe and analyze processes and courses of education as well as competence development.

The main research questions of this substudy of the NEPS include:

• How do children in early childhood develop early skills and abilities and in what ways are processes of development and education supported by settings of child care and education within and outside the family?
• How do intra-familial and extra-familial settings interact?
• From what age of the child do families make use of child care settings and education outside the family and to what extent does this depend on the development of the child and/or on the family background including the intra-familial learning environment, parental needs, and orientations?