​Systematic studies of such young children from the general population is a new field, and CCC2000 has been at the forefront of international research by examining aspects of mental development in children under 2 years old. More than 6,000 children were studied during home visits by health visitors when the child was 0-1, 2-3, 4-6 and 8-10 months old. For the data collection, CCC2000 together with the nurses developed a standardized registration of the nurses' examinations of the child's growth and development, and regulation of sleep, eating, and contact and social interaction. Together with information from national registries, this data has been the basis for research into early physical growth, risk markers for development and health, and the importance of physical and social background factors.

A smaller group of children were studied in detail at 1 1/2 years of age. This study was the first in the world to describe how mental health problems manifest in young children and identified factors that increase the child's risk of developmental difficulties, regulation disorders and social and emotional problems.

The research findings revealed untapped potential for prevention within the existing health care systems in municipalities. The standardized health nurse record has also subsequently been used in a revised form in many of the country's municipalities.

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