The Impact of Poverty on the Developing Child: A Narrative Review

Abstract

This narrative review provides a synthesis of current research investigating the impact of poverty on early childhood health, development and learning. In Australia, the rising proportion of adults and children experiencing deep and persistent socio-economic disadvantage and the widening gap in economic equality restricts social and economic participation by those experiencing disadvantage. Poverty experienced early in life directly impacts children’s developing brains, placing children at risk of short and long-term detrimental effects on multiple aspects of their development, health and learning. Experiencing adversity, especially in the early years, can contribute to continuous activation of the body’s stress-response system leading to ‘toxic stress’, compromising the development of emerging executive function capabilities. Parents experiencing poverty may have limited capacity to provide responsive care and low-stress environments to mitigate children’s exposure. However, there is evidence to suggest that assisting adults to build their core capabilities and skills to provide optimal support for child development can help protect children against the adverse impact of poverty in early childhood.

Keywords: poverty, early childhood, executive function