There are no simple answers but policy makers are right to question whether the current balance of spending is right. In the UK a far higher proportion of public spending goes towards child-related benefits than on early years' services, such as childcare and parenting support. There is some rationale behind this: poverty blights children's life chances so targeting resources at families has naturally been a priority for public spending.
But services also play a key role in reducing disadvantage, so how should investment be balanced? In Scandinavia, where child poverty rates are low, benefits are generous but they are more than matched by significant investment in services. Pre-school services in Sweden receive more funding per head than schools.
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