Socio-emotional characteristics in early childhood and offending behaviour

About the talk

Early cognitive and socio-emotional development plays a critical role in shaping later life outcomes, including involvement in crime.

This talk will examine how socio-emotional and cognitive difficulties identified in early childhood are associated with adolescent offending, drawing on de-identified, linked administrative data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education (DfE).

This presentation will examine how difficulties identified at age five—using Early Years Foundation Stage assessments—relate to adolescent offending, drawing on linked MoJ–DfE data. It will explore how school experiences such as absenteeism, exclusions, and attainment mediate these relationships, and what this means for tailored interventions.

Join Dr Paul Garcia Hinojosa to uncover his findings and what they could mean for future policy.

How does early socio-emotional development in childhood relate to later offending?

Meet the presenter

Dr Paul Garcia Hinojosa, Economist, Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex

Paul’s research focuses on education, early skill development, and labour markets, with particular interest in how childhood and adolescent experiences shape later life outcomes.

Paul recently received an Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK) fellowship to identify early socio-emotional traits that may increase children's risk of offending as they transition into adolescence. Paul also secured Nuffield Foundation funding (starting April 2026) for a project on the impacts of Relational and Restorative Practice in Schools and to study Restorative Relationship Practices in English schools. His project will evaluate their impact on exclusions, criminal justice outcomes, and teacher retention.

In addition to Paul’s research, he has designed and delivers quantitative data analysis training to external users of Understanding Society, the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS).

Learn more about the Research Excellence Series

Each year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) hosts a collection of online events showcasing outstanding work from across the research community. The series celebrates projects that use secure data to generate new insights and drive impact, as well as innovative organisational initiatives that strengthen research capability and collaboration.

The 2026 series will take audiences on the full journey of these projects—from inception and methodology through to dissemination and impact. Sessions will feature a diverse range of speakers and include winners of the ONS Research Excellence Awards 2025, which recognise excellence in analysis, collaboration, secure data creation, and impactful outcomes.

The events will take place through Microsoft Teams. They will also be recorded and available to watch later, on our ONS YouTube channel.

Getting in touch

For more information about this event, please visit the ONS SRS events webpage, or email srs.engagement.team@ons.gov.uk.

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