Introduction: This paper is based on a longitudinal study of children from an urban Irish environment. The initial phase of the investigation was conducted in 1990 when 2029 primary-school children (mean age 11 years) were assessed for IQ, behavioural disturbance and socioeconomic circumstances. Behaviour was measured using Rutter's B2 Questionnaire (Rutter 1967) completed by the teacher for each child, and IQ was based on the Standard Progressive Matrices (Raven, Court & Raven, 1983). A clear socio- economic and gender pattern was evident from the findings. The rate of behavioural disorder was higher for those attending disadvantaged schools and boys were twice as likely as girls to have these problems. A sub-sample of 185 (107 males, 78 females) of these children was extracted from this population and they and their families were investigated in greater detail. Economic circumstances emerged from this inquiry as associated with behavioural disorder in the child and depressive conditions in the mother (which were also interrelated). These 185 subjects were followed up ten years later (2000) and 97 young people (50 males, 47 females) were successfully located and interviewed . This study was funded under the research programme of the Irish Government's Department of Community and Family Affairs. A report based on the findings (Cleary, Fitzgerald and Nixon (2004) From Child to Adult: A Longitudinal Study of Children and their Families), was published by the Department in September 2004 Aims and Methodology: The study aim was to determine how childhood estimates of behavioural disorder and IQ and family economic circumstances relate to adult outcome. The focus in this paper is on educational outcome which, due to the number and age of the respondents, emerged as the strongest outcome measure. Research Instruments: Family economic circumstances was measured using indices from Phase 1 of the study plus detail of state benefits received by the family during the subject's childhood (this information was collected from both the subject and the mother). Educational history was recorded as well as a range of other socio-demographic variables. Subjects were also assessed for psychological health using the SCID (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis Diagnosis) (First, Spitzer, Gibbon & Williams, 1996) and self-esteem (The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg 1965)). Findings: Two-way analysis indicated that behavioural disorder in childhood did impair educational achievement in that those with this categorisation were less likely to complete second level schooling . But this possibility was increased when there was economic disadvantage in the family of origin. Overall, economic status was strongly related to educational achievement and economic disadvantage (the most sensitive measure of which was family in receipt of state benefits) predicted lower educational attainment. Log Linear Modelling identified three factors, economic disadvantage, categorisation of deviance and IQ as all having a significant effect on educational outcome and this effect was increased with the accumulation of risk factors. Eighty-five percent of respondents who were classified as behaviourally disordered and who were below average in IQ (both assessed at age eleven) and whose family were in receipt of state benefits during their childhood did not complete second level school. Conversely, only 8% of those outside these categories failed to complete second level. The differences were even more stark at third level. Just 3% of those within all three categories went on to third level in contrast to 72% of those outside these three groupings. At third level, economic factors had a particularly strong impact with better off students much more likely to reach this level than disadvantaged participants, even with similar IQ levels. Conclusions: Behavioural disorder at age eleven is highly predictive of poor educational participation but this likelihood increases with accumulation of risk factors especially low IQ and economic disadvantage. IQ is an important predictor of educational outcome but economic circumstances modify its effect. The links between children economic disadvantage and educational outcome are therefore supported by this study.