'High social cost' adults can be predicted from as young as three, says study

20% of population uses majority of public services, research shows, indicating long-term importance of early years investment for disadvantaged children

A small fraction of the population is likely to account for the majority of societal costs, according to new research into the impact of childhood disadvantage on later life.

The research - based on New Zealand data but involving an international team - also revealed that such "high cost" adults can be predicted when as young as three years old from an assessment of their brain health.