Childcare improves social mobility, Government study concludes

The study, published this week by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, defined social mobility as successive generations getting better jobs. Researchers consulted experts and leading academics and found that although social mobility remained stable from 1970 to 2000, there have been positive changes since then, and that many of the educational inequalities that prevent social mobility are being addressed.

They identified four key areas where Government can have the most significant impact on improving social mobility: giving children the best start in their early years, improving attainment at school, creating pathways from education to work, and helping people get on in work.

The study said that the Government could do more to give children the best start in life, and used the example of Scandinavia, where offering universal high-quality childcare had reduced the impact of parental factors on children's educational attainment.

It also looked at the impact of good teaching on educational attainment, and found that out of a group of 50 teachers, a child taught by one of the best ten will learn at twice the speed as one taught by one of the worst ten. But it said that good teachers are less likely to be in schools in deprived areas.

Liam Byrne, minister for the Cabinet Office, said, 'The key for the future appears to be capturing a big share of high-value jobs that will come as the world economy changes over the next 20 years, plus investing in things like Sure Start.'

Further information

'Getting On, Getting Ahead' is at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk. A White Paper on social mobility is to be published by the end of the year.