Child outcomes and family socio-economic characteristics: Final report of the project: LSAC Outcomes and the Family Environment

Abstract

Using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), this report assesses research funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to investigate which measures of family economic resources are most relevant to outcomes for children. Most studies of child poverty in rich nations have used income as their indicator of economic disadvantage. Focusing on children aged 4 to 5 years, this report tests the salience of a number of different measures according to the extent to which they are correlated with child learning and social and emotional outcomes.