This study combined a literature review with secondary analysis to draw together good quality evidence on the subject of informal childcare, and to highlight the gaps in that evidence.
Using a simple decomposition analysis, we show that around two thirds of the socio-economic gap in attainment at age 16 can be accounted for by long-run family background characteristics and prior ability, suggesting that circumstances and investments made considerably earlier in the child's life explain the majority of the gap in test scores between young people from rich and poor families.
This report analyses the distribution of couple penalties and premiums in the tax and benefit system using a large, statistically representative sample of households.
Gordon Brown's speech to the Labour party conference confirmed that, if it wins the general election, the Government will provide free early education and childcare places for 2 year old children in low-income families in England by 2015, to be funded by scrapping the tax break on employer-provided childcare vouchers. Who will win and lose from this change, and what does it tell us about the Government's priorities?
This report presents the findings of research into how and when differences in work behaviour between men and women develop, focusing on the evolution of the gender gaps immediately after childbirth and during the initial years of family development.
This lecture, for the IFS Public Economics Lectures series, focuses on the treatment of children in the UK tax system and outlines UK trends in support for children and in child poverty.