Melhuish, Edward C. (2016) Pre-school benefits all and influences the nation's wellbeing. Australian Educational Leader 38 (2), pp. 6-8. ISSN 1832-8245.
Abstract
There are great differences in health and development linked to social origins. Poor children are more likely to fail at school, have poorer health, and engage in crime and other problem behaviour later in life (e.g. Holzer et al. 2007). Despite decades of social, educational and public health reform, there has been little progress in equalising opportunities. The impact of social origins on wellbeing is persisting, and even increasing. The consequence of these inequalities is an enormous waste of talent. The potential contribution to society of individuals who grow up in disadvantage is far greater than is often realised. There is also an extra load on society's resources as the disadvantaged have greater need for state resources throughout their lives. There is both a moral imperative - how to reduce inequality and make peoples' lives more fulfilled - and a social and economic imperative as societies with more disadvantage and poorer skills are less able to adapt to a world demanding higher levels of skills. The aims of equality and future productivity merge in that, if we recognise that learning capabilities are primarily formed during the early years, and act to improve life chances, we can serve both goals.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| School: | Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Psychological Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Administrator |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Dec 2018 12:19 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2023 17:47 |
| URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/25595 |
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