Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with reduced ability to benefit from schooling, poorer educational outcomes, a lower likelihood of continuing to tertiary education, and less job success. A poor education is associated with increased welfare dependence and lower skilled jobs with lower pay, helping to continue the cycle of disadvantage. Taking steps from an early age to improve childhood education skills could raise overall population levels of academic achievement by as much as 5%, and reduce socioeconomic inequality in education by 15%, according to international research led by Dr Catherine Chittleborough from the University of Adelaide’s School of Population Health. Pre-school education is extremely important to set children on the right path. “By providing the appropriate educational support, we could make a difference to a lot of children’s lives,” she says.

WEAVE Foundation is currently supporting more than 5,000 refugee and displaced children ages 2.8 to 5 years old on the Thai-Burma border and in Burma’s ethnic states.