On 28 February 1985, the ESF submitted a report to the Conference of Ministers about the Network on Longitudinal Studies on Individual Development. The report was discussed by the Conference of Ministers together with ESF and CEC on 31 May 1985. On 27 June, the ESF Executive Council in a meeting approved the formation of a Coordination Committee for a scientific network on Longitudinal Studies on Individual Development (ENLS), with Professor Magnusson, from Sweden, as Chairman.
Phase 1 lasted until June 1987; phase 2 lasted from January 1988 to December 1991.

The main focus for the activity of the Network on Longitudinal Studies on Individual Development is to gain knowledge about the developmental processes of maturation and learning, to contribute to a deeper understanding of contemporaneous behaviour at each stage of development. Understanding the factors that underlie individual development makes it possible to create environments that are better suited to the needs and potentialities of individuals. The Network focuses on: models for individual development, methodology, research strategy problems, legal and ethical issues.
In order to reach these goals a series of workshops was held on: risk and protective factors in psychosocial development; transition mechanisms in cognitive-emotional development; methodological issues in longitudinal research; successful ageing; data treatment; motor development in relation to social and cognitive functions; biological risk factors; ethical and legal aspects in longitudinal research.

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