In this paper we explore the association between family income and children’s cognitive ability (IQ and school performance), socio-emotional outcomes (self esteem, locus of control and behavioural problems) and physical health (risk of obesity). We develop a decomposition technique that allows...

This paper examines the effects of recent welfare reforms in the US and UK on thewell-being of children in low-income families, looking specifically at the effects onpoverty, family expenditures, and child health and development. The paper finds somecommonalities but also some notable...

This paper examines whether and how socio-economic status is associated withchildren’s behavioural development in today’s children. Using a large cohort ofEnglish children born in the early 1990s we find significant social inequalities inseveral dimensions of child behaviour at age 7. We...

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Recent evidence hasshown a socio-economic gradient in its distribution. This paper examineswhether a number of factors argued to have led to a rise in the incidence ofasthma might also explain the social gradient. Several of these have been...

There is emerging evidence to suggest that initial differentials between thehealth of poor and more affluent children in the UK do not widen over earlychildhood. One reason may be that through the universal public funded healthcare system all children have access to equally effective primary...

There is a growing literature that shows that higher family income is associatedwith better health for children. Wealthier parents may have more advantagedchildren because they have more income to buy health care or because parentalwealth is associated with beneficial behaviours or because...