scholarly journals Local Housing Characteristics Associated with Early Childhood Development Outcomes in Australian Disadvantaged Communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1719
Author(s):  
Karen Villanueva ◽  
Hannah Badland ◽  
Robert Tanton ◽  
Ilan Katz ◽  
Sally Brinkman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Public Housing ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Disadvantaged Communities ◽  
Housing Characteristics ◽  
Development Outcomes ◽  
Objectively Measured

Disadvantaged communities tend to have poorer early childhood development outcomes. Access to safe, secure, and stable housing is a well-known social determinant of health but there is a need to examine key features of neighbourhood housing that reduce early childhood development inequities. The 2012 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), a population-wide measure of early childhood development, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics Socio-economic Index for Areas Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage were used to select fourteen disadvantaged local communities in five Australian states and territories based on those performing better (off-diagonal), or as expected (on-diagonal) on the AEDC relative to their socio-economic profile. Between 2015–2017, qualitative and quantitative housing data were collected in the local communities. In total, 87 interviews with stakeholders, 30 focus groups with local service providers and parents, and Australian Census dwelling information were analysed. A comparative case study approach was used to examine differences in housing characteristics (e.g., public housing, density, affordability, and tenure) between disadvantaged local communities performing ‘better than expected’ and ‘as expected’ on early childhood development. Perceived better housing affordability, objectively measured housing tenure (ownership) and perceived and objectively measured lower-density public housing were housing characteristics that emerged as points of difference for disadvantaged local communities where children had relatively better early childhood development outcomes. These characteristics are potential modifiable and policy sensitive housing levers for reducing early childhood development inequities.

scholarly journals Informal community-based early childhood development as a focus for urban public theology in South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Van der Walt ◽  
Ignatius Swart ◽  
Stephan De Beer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Specific Situation ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Informal Community

This article highlights important dimensions of public theology and shows how the identified dimensions are relevant to the specific situation of informal early childhood development (ECD) facilities in a South African urban setting. The article considers the contributions and challenges of informal community-based ECD on the basis of research conducted in the Rustenburg/Phokeng area of the North West province of South Africa. It critically discusses the sociocultural discourses and legislation regulating ECD centres, by focusing on the constraints put on informal ECD service providers. It concludes by considering ways in which urban public theology should act to serve, strengthen and advocate this vitally important, yet informal, sector.

scholarly journals Parenting Knowledge, Parental Investments, and Early Childhood Development in Rural Households in Western China

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingdong Zhong ◽  
Yang He ◽  
Jingjing Gao ◽  
Tianyi Wang ◽  
Renfu Luo
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Western China ◽  
Social Emotional Development ◽  
Parental Investments ◽  
Parenting Knowledge ◽  
Development Outcomes

This paper investigates the relationships between caregivers’ parenting knowledge and early childhood development, based on a survey conducted in 1715 rural households in 100 villages located in an undeveloped rural area of western China. The results find that, first, caregivers’ parenting knowledge is positively and significantly associated with children’s development outcomes, including cognitive, language, motor, and social–emotional development; second, caregivers’ parental investments significantly mediate the link between parenting knowledge and early childhood development; third, in contrast with other parental investments, play materials (in terms of variety and quantity) and play activities in the households are the strongest mediators. Our findings might be informative for policy makers to design policies targeted to foster human capital formation in rural China.

scholarly journals Newcomer families' experiences with programs and services to support early childhood development in Canada: A scoping review

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-215
Author(s):  
Alison Brown ◽  
Jessie-Lee D McIsaac ◽  
Sarah Reddington ◽  
Taylor Hill ◽  
Susan Brigham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Intercultural Understanding ◽  
Newcomer Families

It can be difficult for families with young children to navigate early childhood development supports. In particular, newcomer families often encounter additional barriers and require resources, programs, and services that are tailored to their unique assets, experiences, and needs. We conducted a scoping review of the literature published between 2000 and 2019 to explore what is known about newcomer families’ experiences with programs and services to support early childhood development in Canada. We searched 12 databases, screened 2390 articles, and included 34 articles for synthesis and analysis. Three common and connected themes were identified: 1) effective intercultural understanding, responsiveness, and communication are critical to ensuring full access to meaningful programs and services; 2) some newcomer families face systemic barriers exacerbated by their immigration status, and; 3) feelings and perceptions of families and service providers, as well as social supports, networks, and relationships influence how programs and services are accessed and experienced. Our review identifies the requirement for additional, participatory research that centres the voices and perspectives of newcomer children and their families and the need to expand that research to less populated and rural areas of the country to inform meaningful and culturally relevant policies, programs, and services for newcomer families to support their children’s well-being.

scholarly journals Findings from the Kids in Communities Study (KiCS): A mixed methods study examining community-level influences on early childhood development

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0256431
Author(s):  
Sharon Goldfeld ◽  
Karen Villanueva ◽  
Robert Tanton ◽  
Ilan Katz ◽  
Sally Brinkman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Community Action ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Community Factors ◽  
Modifiable Factors

There is increasing international interest in place-based approaches to improve early childhood development (ECD) outcomes. The available data and evidence are limited and precludes well informed policy and practice change. Developing the evidence-base for community-level effects on ECD is one way to facilitate more informed and targeted community action. This paper presents overall final findings from the Kids in Communities Study (KiCS), an Australian mixed methods investigation into community-level effects on ECD in five domains of influence–physical, social, governance, service, and sociodemographic. Twenty five local communities (suburbs) across Australia were selected based on ‘diagonality type’ i.e. whether they performed better (off-diagonal positive), worse (off-diagonal negative), or ‘as expected’ (on-diagonal) on the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) relative to their socioeconomic profile. The approach was designed to determine replicable and modifiable factors that were separate to socioeconomic status. Between 2015–2017, stakeholder interviews (n = 146), parent and service provider focus groups (n = 51), and existing socio-economic and early childhood education and care administrative data were collected. Qualitative and quantitative data analyses were undertaken to understand differences between 14 paired disadvantaged local communities (i.e. on versus off-diagonal). Further analysis of qualitative data elicited important factors for all 25 local communities. From this, we developed a draft set of ‘Foundational Community Factors’ (FCFs); these are the factors that lay the foundations of a good community for young children.

scholarly journals Does Place Matter? An International Comparison of Early Childhood Development Outcomes between the Metropolitan Areas of Melbourne, Australia and Montreal, Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (16) ◽  
pp. 2915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Dea ◽  
Lise Gauvin ◽  
Michel Fournier ◽  
Sharon Goldfeld
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Development Outcomes ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
The Impact

There is strong consensus about the importance of early childhood development (ECD) for improving population health and closing the health inequity gap. Environmental features and public policies across sectors and jurisdictions are known to influence ECD. International comparisons provide valuable opportunities to better understand the impact of these ecological determinants on ECD. This study compared ECD outcomes between metropolitan Melbourne (Australia) and Montreal (Canada), and contrasted disparities across demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Methods: Population wide surveys using the Early Development Instrument (EDI) were conducted among 4–6 years-old children in both Montreal and Melbourne in 2012, measuring five domains of ECD: 1-Physical Health/Well-Being (PHYS); 2-Social Competence (SOC); 3-Emotional Maturity (EMOT); 4-Language/Cognitive Development (COGN); and 5-Communication Skills/General Knowledge (COMM). Descriptive analyses of summary EDI indicators and domain indicators (including median scores and interquartile ranges) were compared between metropolitan areas, using their respective 95% confident intervals (CIs). Analyses were performed using Stata software (v14). Results: The proportion of children developmentally vulnerable in at least one domain of ECD was 26.8% (95% CIs: 26.2, 27.3) in Montreal vs. 19.2% (95% CIs: 18.8, 19.5) in Melbourne. The Melbourne advantage was greatest for EMOT and COGN (11.5% vs. 6.9%; 13.0% vs. 5.8%). In both Montreal and Melbourne, boys, immigrants, children not speaking the language of the majority at home, and those living in the most deprived areas were at greater risk of being developmentally vulnerable. Relative risks as a function of home language and area-level deprivation subgroups were smaller in Montreal than in Melbourne. Conclusion: This study shows that Melbourne’s children globally experience better ECD outcomes than Montreal’s children, but that inequity gaps are greater in Melbourne for language and area-level deprivation subgroups. Further research is warranted to identify the environmental factors, policies, and programs that account for these observed differences.

scholarly journals Family Background, Service Providers, and Early Childhood Development in the Philippines: Proxies and Interactions

2005 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Ghuman ◽  
Jere R. Behrman ◽  
Judith B. Borja ◽  
Socorro Gultiano ◽  
Elizabeth M. King
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Family Background ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Childhood Development
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