What Inequality Means for Children. Evidence from Young Lives

Understanding how poverty and inequalities affect children is central to understanding the impact of the MDGs and development of the post-2015 agenda.
This paper draws together research from across the Young Lives longitudinal study of child poverty to answer questions about how inequality shapes children’s development. The conclusions are wide-ranging – spanning education, health and nutrition, and psychosocial development. Overall, the evidence is clear – that children from the poorest households are most vulnerable and quickly fall behind their peers, in terms of equality of opportunity as well as outcomes.