It has to be noted that high rates of mean income growth in the bottom decile have to be interpreted with great caution because they are likely to be influenced by the 'regression to the mean'3 and by the fact that small absolute changes from a very low base appear as large changes in relative terms. This shows variation in income growth patterns over the crisis, with relatively higher rates of income growth in the first years of the crisis. The analysis also illustrates that prior to the crisis, relative income growth in households with children was considerably higher in each income decile (see real income growth, 2006-2009 in Figure 1). The income growth was pro-poor in each time period considered, with much higher percentage growth before the crisis than during the crisis.