Many children younger than 5 years in developing countries are exposed to multiple risks, including poverty, malnutrition, poor health, and unstimulating home environments, which detrimentally aff ect their cognitive, motor, and socialemotional development. There are few national statistics on the development of young children in developing countries. We therefore identifi ed two factors with available worldwide data?the prevalence of early childhood stunting and the number of people living in absolute poverty—to use as indicators of poor development.

This paper presents a case study to illustrate the range of decisions involved in designing a sampling strategy for a complex, longitudinal research study. It is based on experience from the Young Lives project and identifies the approaches used to sample children for longitudinal follow-up in four less developed countries (LDCs). The rationale for decisions made and the resulting benefits, and limitations, of the approaches adopted are discussed.

Objective: To assess the occurrence of child injury in four developing country settings and to explore potential risk factors for injury.

Methods: Injury occurrence was studied in cohorts of 2000 children of age 6-17 months at enrolment, in each of Ethiopia, Peru, Vietnam and India (Andhra Pradesh). Generalized estimating equation models were used to explore potential risk factors for child injury.

Much of the work done by governments and donors to help children living in poverty either focuses only on health and education or considers children as a 'special interest group'. A holistic approach to children's well-being, however, requires multi-sectoral and inter-generational strategies to address childhood poverty. Understanding the cumulative nature of disadvantage and the benefits of multi-sectoral approaches is crucial for any strategy aiming to combat poverty.

Social capital is defined as the norms, networks and associations that facilitate cooperative action. It can be divided into a behavioural or activity component of what people do – how they participate in groups – and a cognitive or perceptual component of what people think – whether they trust other people. While a growing body of literature focuses on social capital in developing and developed countries, the term has been criticised both conceptually and in terms of its policy relevance.