these estimates of the effect of poverty reduction on lone parents are however based on actual receipt as these are low the overall effect on child poverty also tends to be low although for those in receipt of maintenance they are important for the avoidance of poverty in addition those that receive maintenance are more likely to have been previously married and these parents are therefore also more likely to have older children and be in employment while maintenance may be important to the incomes of these women those who are not in receipt of maintenance are even more likely to be poor while behaviour and health differences also follow income gradients figure illustrates the strong relationship between children s development and income in the united kingdom during middle childhood and shows that there are large gaps in outcomes by income many of these differences have already emerged by the time children enter school