Photo: Cristiano Betta. Creative Commons.

Inequality

Inequality in child development starts early and compounds later inequality

Inequality in child development starts early and compounds later inequality. For example, a child who starts school with less ability to learn because of disadvantage learns less well than better-off peers. Disadvantage can delay the maturing of children’s brains.

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Researchers have examined many factors that contribute to early disadvantage, including: mothers having multiple partners, living in a poor neighborhood, lack of family connections that enable stronger career advancement even with a similar level of school performance, absence of fathers, parental divorce and separation that reduces access to family financial resources, children seeing themselves as poor compared to their neighbors, parental depression, and disruption of children’s sleep. In general, Black, Hispanic, and White youth receive different levels of support during childhood, with the differences emerging from different levels of parental income and education.

Early disadvantage does not necessarily lead to less optimal child development and can confer strengths and abilities. What makes the difference? Research has identified factors that mitigate against the ill effects of disadvantage and poverty, including a good home learning environment (e.g., one that features reading and talking), warm parenting, support for caring fatherhood (e.g., talking to children, effective discipline), coordinated home/school support for language development, parents talking openly with children about disadvantages such as racism (intentional parenting for equity and justice), and income supplements for poor families.

In the United States, income equality makes a bigger difference to children’s cognitive development than in other countries. In response to this finding, U.S. researchers advocate comprehensive and universal preschool to tackle the early inequalities that grow through a child’s life. This policy should include U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants.

Inequality

Inequality in child development starts early and compounds later inequality

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