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...

Children’s lives have been transformed over the past century. Family incomes haveincreased, children lead more solitary lives, attitudes to childhood have changed, newproducts have been developed and commercial pressures on children have increased.The importance of these commercial pressures...

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...

UK government policy encourages mothers of young children in low-income families to enter or return to work, via tax credit subsidies and support for childcare. Maternal employment is seen a central plank in the campaign against child poverty, both because it raises income immediately and...

This paper examines the extent to which mothers that care for children where thefather is non-resident have an award or agreement for child support in place. Datafrom the Families and Children Study are used to explore not only whether mothershave an award or order but the type of award they...

In April 2002 Jobcentre Plus started to operate in the UK bringing together theservice of the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service. Offering a fullyintegrated benefit claiming and work placement/job-seeking service for peopleof working age this new organisation aims to strengthen the link...

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...

Fifteen per cent of British babies are now born to parents who are neithercohabiting nor married. Little is known about non-residential fatherhood thatcommences with the birth of a child. Here, we use the Millennium Cohort Studyto examine a number of aspects of this form of fatherhood. Firstly,...

In this paper we provide evidence on how the UK government’s welfarereforms since 1998 have affected the material well-being of children in lowincomefamilies. We examine changes in expenditure patterns and ownership ofdurable goods for low- and higher-income families between the...