An OECD study has highlighted the UK's above-average spending on children in their pre-school years. However, it said spending on older children needs to be targeted to combat high under-age drinking and teenage pregnancy rates.
The report, Doing better for children, compared public spending and policies for children with key indicators of child well-being in 30 countries. It concluded that money is more effective when spent on younger children.
The study found that the UK spends £24,000 per child on those from birth to age five, compared with an OECD average of £19,000 for this age group.
It found that average public spending up to age six accounts for only a quarter of all child spending across OECD countries. The report said that governments needed to balance spending between the early years and the teenage years to improve health, education and well-being for children in the long term.
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