Poverty affects educational attainment

10 Jul 2018 03:28 PM

NHS Health Scotland yesterday published a briefing on children’s social circumstances and educational attainment. 

It is known that poor educational attainment has been linked with increased rates of death and illness in adults for a wide range of health conditions. This new briefing looks at how the circumstances in which children and young people live and learn contribute to inequalities in educational outcomes.

Dr Jane White, Public Health Intelligence Adviser with NHS Health Scotland said: 

“It’s not right that poverty directly affects how well children do in school. We know what the challenges are - this briefing highlights not only the broad range of factors involved in influencing educational outcomes, but also the things we can do to help mitigate the impact of living in a low-income household on educational outcomes.

“The link between educational attainment, income inequality and ill health is long known.  Addressing inequalities in educational attainment can therefore help to address inequalities in health.  In setting out ways to buffer some of the effects of living in a low-income household on education, we hope our briefing can help design ways to create a fairer healthier Scotland for all.”

Click here to view the briefing paper

Click here to see more information on children and health inequalities