UK making only “very slow progress” on early inequalities, IFS says
By Rachel Lawler
The UK is making “very slow progress” on early inequalities, according to from the IFS.
The IFS says that data on children born in the UK in 2000-2002 showed “large gaps” in development by age three, based on sex, ethnicity and socio-economic circumstances – as well as geographic differences.
When compared to children born in 2010-2021, the IFS says that there was “no significant change in the gap in development” between children with low- and high-educated mothers or those in the most and least deprived areas.
The IFS says that, while there is a lack of data evidencing how things have changed between these two cohorts, there are “indications” that there was a “narrowing of inequalities” in early development before the mid 2010s followed by a “widening”.
The IFS also warned that the Covid-19 pandemic may have worsened early inequalities.
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, commented: “It is extremely concerning that inequalities in early childhood development remained high over the past decade, especially given that the pandemic is very likely to have widened this gap even further in the time since.
“We know from our own research that Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the learning and development of young children, many of whom have spent the majority of their lives under some form of pandemic restrictions. Early educators have worked incredibly hard to mitigate the impact of this on children’s learning, but they themselves need support to be able to continue to do so.
"The IFS report rightly states that a child’s experiences in the early years shapes their later life outcomes ‘to a remarkable degree’. Given this, if the government is truly committed to its 'levelling up’ agenda, then surely there is no better place to start than in the early years.
“Early educators play a pivotal role in ensuring that all children, regardless of background, get the best possible start in life. Ministers simply must recognise this, and invest in our vital sector accordingly, if we are to have any chance of closing the inequality gap once and for all.”
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