Poverty is shaping children’s lives in Derby before school even begins. For many families, the challenges of low income, food insecurity and rising costs are affecting children’s development from the very start.
The evidence shows that without early support, children begin school already behind and often stay behind. This page explains why early action matters and where the need is greatest across the city.
By age 5, children growing up in poverty are already 5 months behind on average. By the age of 16, this gap widens to more than 19 months.
Child Poverty Strategy
Up to 90 percent of brain development happens before the age of 5. During these crucial years, early stress, poor nutrition and lack of stimulation can disrupt brain development and have lifelong consequences.
By age 5, children from the lowest income households are already 16 to 19 months behind in vocabulary compared to their peers. These early language gaps affect confidence, behaviour and learning across the whole of childhood.
Starting behind usually means staying behind.
Early years support is not a nice to have. It is a critical window to change life chances.
For many families in Derby, even small contributions towards nursery meals are unaffordable.
Without targeted support:
This is not due to a lack of care or commitment. It is a system under pressure and children pay the price.
Poverty and vulnerability are not evenly distributed across the city. Some neighbourhoods face significantly higher levels of deprivation, placing greater pressure on families with young children.
We work directly with community nurseries in Derby’s most affected neighbourhoods. These children are already falling behind before school even begins.
By providing nutritious food, clothing, early learning opportunities and speech and language support, we help children arrive at nursery fed, warm and ready to learn.
