Socioeconomic status (SES) includes family income, parental education, and occupational status. Research Family SES affects all the domains of a child’s life: physical, socioemotional, and cognitive. It is a major predictor of how children grow, develop, learn, and behave.

Low – SES Families, Health & Education

Children from low-SES families are more likely to experience growth retardation develop neurobehavioral developmental disorders. They are more likely to be born prematurely, at low birth weight, a birth defect, a disability, fetal alcohol syndrome, and other defects. Early health problems from poor prenatal care, maternal substance abuse, poor nutrition during pregnancy, poor maternal lifestyles such as smoking, and drug use unarguably affect fetal development. The road to suffer continues even after birth. Poor nutrition and diseases decide whether the children will survive or end their lives in infancy.

Cognitive and Academic Attainment

Poverty and low parental education are associated with lower levels of school achievement. Research has proved that children from high SES families develop verbal and numeracy skills earlier, faster, and better which leads to the language proficiency.

SES also appears to affect school attendance and number of years of education that a child will get. Children from low SES are much likely to drop out.

Socioemotional Development

Strong evidence has pointed out that children from poor families tend to manifest socioemotional and behavioral problems from young age. Also, they are prone to abuse substance which is adding fuel to the fire.

For a successful learning, parents should strive to improve their SES and become aware of how it is linked to the development and the success of their children. Similarly, governments should do whatever possible to invest in early childhood education of children who come from low SES.