Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Policy Brief No. 18 - The Dynamics Of Inequality Among Canadian Children, Peter Burton, Shelley Phipps, Lihui Zhang

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

This study characterizes income inequality and mobility of Canadian children between the ages of 4/5 and 14/15. There is considerable inequality of family income. Moreover, income position is especially persistent for children at the bottom and top of the distribution; this is unfair and may be perpetuated into adulthood. Finally, family structure is very important for children’s material well-being; for example, they experience a considerable drop in income position upon parental separation/ divorce. It is recommended that such children be protected, perhaps through advance maintenance payments.