The socio-economic gradient in early child outcomes: evidence from the Millennium Cohort Study

Authors: Lorraine Dearden, Luke Sibieta and Kathy Sylva
Published in: Longitudinal and Life Course Studies  2(1):19-40, Feb 2011

This research paper, using data from the Millennium Cohort Study, demonstrates that there are large differences in cognitive development between children from rich and poor backgrounds at the age of 3, and that this gap widens by the age of 5. Children from poor backgrounds also face much less advantageous "early childhood caring environments" than children from better off families. For example the researchers identify differences in poor children's and their mothers' health and well-being (e.g. birth-weight, breast-feeding, and maternal depression); family interactions (e.g. mother child closeness); the home learning environment (e.g. reading regularly to the child); parenting styles and rules (e.g. regular bed-times and meal-times), and experiences of childcare by ages 3 and 5.   Regarding home learning, the researchers say:

• " …….differences in the home learning environment at age 3 have an important role to play, explaining about a sixth of the gap in cognitive outcomes between children from richer and poorer backgrounds. However, a much bigger proportion of the socio-economic gap remains directly related to other aspects of family background (such as mothers' age, and family size) that are not mediated through the early childhood caring environment, and a significant element remains explained.   It is noteworthy that it is the home-learning environment measured at age 3 that is found to be important in explaining outcomes at ages 3 and 5, the latter working through its impact on cognitive ability at age 3. The home-learning environment measured at age 5 is not estimated to impact on cognitive outcomes at age 5, or thus the gap in cognitive outcomes at age 5. This stresses the importance of early intervention".

For details of how to obtain this paper visit: http://www.llcsjournal.org/index.php/llcs/article/view/140