 Every year at this time, Dr. Clyde Hertzman and his team at UBC's Human Early Learning Partnership release the latest set of EDI maps.
Early Development Instrument (EDI) measures children's readines for school and for life. The levels of vulnerabily have been steadily growing in majority of communities in BC.
The Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) has released the latest Early Development Instrument (EDI) data for BC last month. EDI is a research tool that assesses the state of children’s development in a holistic way which provides measurements in five areas (scales):
- Physical health and well-being
- Social competence
- Emotional maturity
- Language and cognitive development
- Communication skills and general knowledge
Information is collated and presented in a form of maps measuring vulnerability for each of the scales listed above. Coast Mountains School District has been divided in to six neighbourhoods for easier interpretation. Children’s scores are mapped in their neighbourhood of residence, not where they go to school. EDI results are interpreted only at the level of each group – neighbourhood, school district or region. Results are never interpreted at the individual level.
Children’s development is influenced by a variety of factors, among them: genetics, family environment, socio-economic conditions, neighbourhood influences, availability of early child development services, and policy directions. Changes in the state of children’s development at the level of the population will be as a result of the interplay of these factors in a community.
2009/10 EDI Results
BC: Children’s vulnerability on one or more scales climbed to 30.3% from 28.5% last year - 53 of 59 school districts are reporting increased vulnerability.
CMSD: Children’s vulnerability on one or more scales climbed to 39.6% from 34.2% last year - only one neighbourhood had consistent decreases over time (Thornhill), while two neighbourhoods had consistent increases (Terrace-Southside, Kitimat).
“Since we started tracking the progress of B.C. children 10 years ago, we can clearly demonstrate that child vulnerability is trending upwards,” said Dr. Clyde Hertzman, Director of HELP, Canada Research Chair in Population Health and Human Development and Professor in the School of Population and Public Health at UBC.
“Anything more than 10 percent is avoidable under optimal conditions of early childhood so about two-thirds of the developmental vulnerabilities that B.C. children currently experience as they start school is preventable.”
Some neighbourhoods report rates of early childhood vulnerability that are below 10 percent, others report vulnerability rates over 60 percent. Over ninety percent of neighborhoods have vulnerabilities that exceed ‘biologically acceptable’ levels.
Key findings from 2009/2010 data collection from 350 neighbourhoods in BC:
- Rossland and Revelstoke have the lowest vulnerability scores in the province with 0% and 15.5%;
- South Fort George in downtown Prince George and Chilliwack North had the highest vulnerability in B.C. with 62.8% and 61.8%;
- Over the past ten years, the most positive trends occurred in Fort Nelson, West Vancouver and Revelstoke;
- Again over time, the largest trends in vulnerability increases occurred in Vancouver, the Comox Valley and Langley.
In 2008, the Government of B.C. set an intermediate target to reduce vulnerability rates to 15 percent by 2015. Despite some bright spots in neighborhood vulnerability scores, the overall rate across 53 districts is double the provincial government’s goal. Dr. Paul Kershaw, assistant professor at HELP in the College for Interdisciplinary Studies at UBC, led the development of a business case for early childhood investments and recommended six ‘smart family’ policy solutions to government - outlined in a report entitled 15 by 15: A Comprehensive Policy Framework for Early Human Capital Investment in B.C. ― include increased time and resources for parents to care for their children personally and supportive community services for families with young children such as early learning and care.
The benefits to children of a comprehensive early child development system are substantial and long-term. Research shows that by adulthood, children who entered kindergarten with the age-appropriate skills lead remarkably different lives: they graduate high school, earn more money, are healthier and pay more taxes than children who were vulnerable. The estimated return for every $1 invested is $6 to society over the short to long-term.
Favourable Conditions
HELP researchers have noted several conditions that are present in neighborhoods where EDI vulnerability has come down in a sustained way:
- strong community engagement with an ongoing commitment of key community leaders across key sectors to work together over the long-term;
- the use of EDI outcomes for planning purposes;
- programming and support focused on families that reduces barriers to quality programs; and
- vertical coordination where resources are matched and supported by senior governments so that local agencies are not operating from grant to grant on minimal funds and
- school system leadership where programs are integrated and schools act as one-stop child and family hubs.
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