Society: Invest in children, says Barnardo's

Failing to invest in children costs Britain a fortune, according to a report released today.

Poverty, family breakdown, crime and violence later in life could be reduced if the Government supported children while they were young, said the children's charity Barnardo's. Its report, Today and Tomorrow: Investing in our Children, highlights an American programme called High/Scope which has shown how early education for disadvantaged children can have a major impact on their futures; children following the programme are more likely to go on to higher education, find jobs, and enjoy higher earnings than those who do not. The scheme also resulted in lower rates of crime, benefit claims and teenage pregnancy, the report stated. "Investing in the early years works," Roger Singleton, Barnardo's chief executive, said.

"Today and Tomorrow: Investing in our Children", Barnardo's Childcare Publications, Barnardo's Trading Estate, Paycocke Road, Basildon, SS14 3DR, pounds 7.50