Nursery World - Children's early cognitive skills should be prioritised to close the disadvantage gap

Early years services must prioritise children’s cognitive development to combat income-related learning gaps, an early intervention charity has warned.

A new report by the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) has argued that core cognitive skills, including children’s language development and their understanding of objects, people and numbers, should receive the same level of investment and attention as issues such as ensuring children are well fed, live in stable homes and have sufficient clothing.

The report, Key competencies in early cognitive development: Things, people, numbers and words, commissioned by Public Health England, found:

EIF is calling on central Government to increase investment in health visitors so they can provide intensive, high-quality home visiting support to low-income families during a child’s first two years.

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