Racial discrimination affects people in a range of ways. We know, for instance, that it can lead to poor health. We know, too, that our lives are linked, particularly with those of family members. So, can racism suffered by a parent affect a child? Are the negative effects of social ills transmitted within families? If…
Tag: Inequality
Stereotyped at 7?
Children from lower income families are less likely to be judged ‘above average’ by their teachers, even when they perform as well as other pupils on independent cognitive assessments, according to a new study. Researcher Tammy Campbell from the UCL Institute of Education talks to the Child of our Time Podcast Series about how teachers…
Ethnicity, birthweight and growth in early childhood
Birthweight varies according to ethnic group but height at the age of five does not. Why might that be? Does it tell us anything about the lives of second and third generation immigrants? And does it offer any useful guidance to health professionals hoping to target disadvantaged groups? Professor Yvonne Kelly outlines recent research with…
Breastfeeding and ethnicity
Helping more mothers breastfeed is a policy goal shared by many governments. Advocates argue that breastfeeding has a positive impact on a child’s physical, cognitive and behavioural development. Because of overlaps with other factors such as a mother’s social class or education, it is hard to measure precisely the degree to which breastfeeding alone benefits…
How well are the kids talking? Ethnic differences in children’s verbal abilities
How well our kids are doing is important to us all. The better they are doing early on in life, the better they’re likely to be doing further down the line as they grow into teenagers and adults. The earlier we can get to grips with any disadvantages or inequalities faced by individuals and groups of…
Breastfeeding – to a schedule or on demand?
Mums-to-be are frequently advised in baby books that feeding to a schedule is best for their child. But what does the evidence tell us when it comes to the different approaches and what might that mean for parents, practitioners and policy makers? Dr Maria Iacovou from the University of Cambridge presents recent evidence breastfeeding research at an ESRC Centre…
What are the links between ethnicity and mental health?
What are the links between ethnicity and mental health? Do children aged 7 from certain ethnic backgrounds exhibit more socio-emotional difficulties than their white counterparts? Afshin Zilanawala from the ESRC International Centre for Lifecourse Studies at UCL talks to Christine Garrington about new findings from the Millennium Cohort Study. Ethnic Differences in Children’s Socioemotional Difficulties: Findings from…
How racism can damage our children’s development
How a mum’s experiences of racism can damage her child. Professor Yvonne Kelly discusses compelling evidence for considering racial discrimination in the mix of things that impact negatively on our children.
Racism rise would be bad for the kids
A range of anti-racism initiatives and policies have been put into place in recent years by successive Governments in the UK. But could those efforts be undermined as we move into a period where it seems “anti-immigrant” sentiment and rhetoric is on the increase? With one in three people in Britain describing themselves as being…
Welcome to Child of our Time
Welcome to Child of our Time, a blog about the health and happiness of children living in the UK.
We are a team of researchers tracking children’s lives using a wide range of data sets, sources and information, asking important questions based on existing and emerging evidence.