PA
An American study has revealed some surprising benefits of an early preschool education.
Whilst we've previously been told we're putting our kids at risk of bad behaviour and delinquency by packing them off to nursery at a young age, a new report claims they actually end up having better jobs, less substance abuse and fewer arrests in adulthood.
The research tracked over a thousand low-income and mostly black Chicago children for up to twenty-five years.
Arthur Reynolds of the University of Minnesota, the lead researcher on the project, said the report suggests there are 'big savings to society' from kids who attended preschool.
He said the average cost per child for 18 months of preschool in 2011 is $9,000, but suggests this is an investment that leads to at least $90,000 in benefits per child in terms of increased earnings, tax revenue and less criminal behaviour.
Mr Reynolds also claims there is reduced mental health costs and other savings to be made:
'No other social program for children and youth has been shown to have that level of return on investment,' he said.
What do you think? Would the findings translate to British kids? Or do you disagree with packing kids off to educational settings at a young age?