Quote:
“✂️
They followed the lives of more than 1,000 children. Those who had low test scores for language, behavioural, movement and cognitive skills at three years old went on to account for more than 80% of crimes, required 78% of prescriptions and received 66% of social welfare payments in adulthood.
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The researchers stress that children's outcomes are not set at the age of three. The course of their lives could potentially be changed if they receive support later in life, for example through rehabilitation programmes when they are adults.
Prof Terrie Moffitt, from Duke University in North Carolina in the US, who co-led the study, told BBC News: "The earlier children receive support the better.
"That is because if a child is sent off on the wrong foot at three and not ready for school they fall further and further behind in a snowball effect that makes them unprepared for adult life".
Prof Moffitt said nearly all the children who had low scores in cognitive assessments early on in life went on to fall through "society's cracks".
"We are able to predict who these high cost service users will be from very early in life.
"Our research suggests that these were people who, as very young children, never got the chance that the rest of us got. They did not have the help they needed to build the skills they need to keep up in this very complicated and fast-paced economy".
She said society should rethink their view of these people who are often condemned as "losers" and "dropouts" and instead offer more support.”
“✂️
They followed the lives of more than 1,000 children. Those who had low test scores for language, behavioural, movement and cognitive skills at three years old went on to account for more than 80% of crimes, required 78% of prescriptions and received 66% of social welfare payments in adulthood.
✂️
The researchers stress that children's outcomes are not set at the age of three. The course of their lives could potentially be changed if they receive support later in life, for example through rehabilitation programmes when they are adults.
Prof Terrie Moffitt, from Duke University in North Carolina in the US, who co-led the study, told BBC News: "The earlier children receive support the better.
"That is because if a child is sent off on the wrong foot at three and not ready for school they fall further and further behind in a snowball effect that makes them unprepared for adult life".
Prof Moffitt said nearly all the children who had low scores in cognitive assessments early on in life went on to fall through "society's cracks".
"We are able to predict who these high cost service users will be from very early in life.
"Our research suggests that these were people who, as very young children, never got the chance that the rest of us got. They did not have the help they needed to build the skills they need to keep up in this very complicated and fast-paced economy".
She said society should rethink their view of these people who are often condemned as "losers" and "dropouts" and instead offer more support.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38281663
Food for thought but in my view there's a huge obstacle to progress...namely the just world fallacy which is still pervasive in society.