The Long Reach of Early Childhood Poverty: Pathways and Impacts

The Center on the Developing Child from Harvard University released a Question and Answer sheet assessing the "Long Reach of Early Childhood Poverty" report. The report was authored by Greg Duncan and Katherine Magnuson. This piece reviews the evidence linking early childhood poverty to long-lasting consequences and discusses strategies to combat the effects of poverty-induced stress on vulnerable families with young children. The new data shows that when children experience poverty, it affects their later-life outcomes. Children's eventual labor market success appears to be compromised much more by poverty experienced early, rather than later, in childhood.