The Millennium Cohort Study is an ongoing survey of 19,000 children inthe UK. Its latest findings look at factors associated with children'scognitive abilities and behaviour at age five and on children in thebottom 20 per cent.
Children's Foundation Stage Profile scores at the end of their firstyear at school were linked to the data. The research identified olderchildren, girls, heavier birthweight babies and first-borns as generallyhaving higher cognitive test scores at the age of five.
The report recommended the Government target policies at ethnic minoritygroups, families on low incomes and those living in social housing to'potentially' raise children's achievement level.
It said, 'Encouraging parents to read to their children every day andvalue the importance of stimulation is likely to improve achievement,but again this would have less effect on protecting children from endingup in the bottom 20 per cent.'
To help these children it recommended policies aimed at mothers whosuffer from depression, mothers who are poorly educated, boys, youngerchildren and low birthweight babies.
Although the findings could support early intervention, the report said'not all children who perform badly at three also perform badly at five,and vice versa'.
Child Development in the First Three Sweeps of the Millennium CohortStudy is at www.dcsf.gov.uk/research.