Educational achievement, particularly by young children, is a huge factor in helping those from poor backgrounds escape poverty in later life, says a Department for Work and Pensions report.

The research, which was carried out by the University of Surrey, alsofound that the level of parental interest in their child's education canaffect their ability to escape from poverty.

The father's interest has "a large influence on their sons" with the"mother's interest most important for their daughters," said researcherJo Blanden.

Those who buck the trend are more likely to have parents with somequalifications, who read to them as children and take an interest intheir schooling, she added.

Attending school with higher achieving or more advantaged peers alsoseems to make a difference.

Paul Dornan, head of policy and research at the Child Poverty ActionGroup, said: "This report shows education and early intervention areabsolutely vital in reducing poverty. It also shows that failing totackle poverty in childhood risks leading to persistent poverty inadulthood, meaning that today's poor child may become tomorrow's poorparent."

The department has said that it will feed the findings of the reportinto "our new strategy for how we can make faster progress in reachingour goal of halving child poverty by 2010". The strategy is due thisautumn.

John Hutton, the work and pensions secretary, announced recently thattackling child poverty would be his department's "number one priority"(Children Now, 17-23 May).

- www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/wp2006.asp.