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Leon Feinstein, Kathryn Duckworth and Ricardo Sabates, Centre
for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning. Department
for Education and Skills Research Brief, May 2004
The
framework
The Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning
has undertaken a literature review of theory and evidence
on the effect of parents' education on the development of
children. Based on this it has created a model of the reasons
for the inter-generational transmission of educational success.
This provides a framework, as shown in the diagram, containing
three categories for effects of families on children's development.
The research finds that the most important 'distal' or family-level
influences on children's attainment are parental education
and income. Occupational status and family size are also important.
Family structure, teenage motherhood and maternal employment
are less important in themselves, although they can have indirect
effects in combination with other factors. Childcare, the
neighbourhood and schools are important contexts outside the
family for influences on attainment, and can significantly
mitigate or offset the impact of family-level factors.
In the characteristics of families, parental beliefs, values,
aspirations and attitudes ('cognitions') are very important;
parental mental health and well-being are also factors.
The interactions between parents and children ('proximal
processes') mediate the effects of all the other factors in
the family: parenting skills in terms of warmth, discipline
and educational behaviours are major factors in children's
success at school.
Underlying all of this, there is strong evidence that parental
education influences most of the factors that affect children's
attainment, and can ease the effects of risk factors on interactions
between parents and children. However, a clearer picture of
causality in the relationships that have been observed is
still needed.
Conclusions
The report concludes that the inter-generational transmission
of educational success is a key element in equality of opportunity.
It does not make firm conclusions about the benefits of specific
interventions, but describes the context in which interventions
must work. The authors hope that an understanding of the way
in which the features of their holistic model interact will
help in the formation of effective cross-cutting policies.
For example, the widespread finding that families are more
important than schools as influences on children's development
means that engagement with parents will be very important.
In going beyond the school to the home in order to enhance
children's educational attainment, the Department for Education
and Skills finds itself engaged with many other departments
that also have a part in the interacting factors in parents'
lives. The report therefore supports efforts to aid the integration
of cross-departmental activities that enhance the effectiveness
of educational support.
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