But trying to improve opportunities for people from disadvantaged backgrounds once they have entered the workforce may be too late This is why much research to understand and redress disparities in educational achievement – and thus improve social mobility – has focused on early childhood. Nurture can shape nature It is well established that growing up in poverty negatively affects brain development. The parts of the brain that help us to deal with adversity grow more quickly to make poor children more resilient – but to the detriment of other parts of their brain.