The research, carried out by the University of Essex, used data from the Millennium Cohort Study of 2,136 mothers and their five-year-old children from ethnic minority groups.
Around 12 per cent of mothers said that racist insults or attacks were common in their residential area and 23 per cent had experienced verbal insults in the last 12 months.
Unfair treatment was reported by 20 per cent of mothers and 23 per cent unfair treatment of a family member.
Racial abuse appeared to vary according to ethnic group-Bangladeshi mothers reported more racism in their local area, whilst Black Caribbean and African mothers reported more disrespectful or unfair treatment.
Analysing the outcomes for their children at the age of five, researchers found that they were more likely to have socio-emotional issues, such as hyperactivity or problems interacting with peers, and scored lower in cognitive skills tests, which the authors say is a key influence on academic achievement. The results also showed a small increased risk of obesity.
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