1 The Early Childhood Development Association of PEI Understanding the Early Years Prince Edward Island Profile

2 Our Goals Today  To share what we learned through UEY research  To inspire community action that supports healthy child development

3 Understanding the Early Years  Community Mapping Study – CMS (1996 Census data, neighbourhood observations, program survey)  National Longitudinal Study on Children and Youth - NLSCY (surveys, assessments)  Early Development Instrument - EDI (questionnaire)

4 “The impact of the environment is dramatic and specific – it actually affects how the intricate circuitry of the brain is wired.” (Rethinking the Brain, Shore, 1997). Why talk about community?

5 PEI Healthy Child Development Strategy  Safety and Security  Good Health  Success at Learning  Social Belonging and Responsibility PEI Children will know… Janice Ployer ~ Children’s Secretariat ~ 16 Garfield Street ~ Charlottetown, PEI ~ C1A 7N8 CALL:

6 What We Learned from the Community  267 enumeration areas  The only UEY community to cover an entire province

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8 What is the Socioeconomic Status of PEI?

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27 NLSCY Results  Low ratings for parenting, family functioning, and use of services.  High ratings for maternal mental health, social support, residential stability, and neighbourhood factors.

28 PEI Strengths  Strong, supportive communities  Licensed child care  Universal kindergarten  Mostly safe, clean physical environment  Families that tend to stay in one place

29 PEI Strengths  Lower than average proportions of lone parent families  Community centres and recreation facilities located across the province  On average, adequate household incomes  A lot of parents who have time to spend with their children  Resources located where most children live

30 PEI Strengths  Family resource centres for each region and cultural group  Libraries located across the province  Health services located across the province  High levels of maternal mental health

31 PEI Challenges  Below average socio-economic ratings  Fewer children in rural areas  High demand for child care  Kindergarten program in implementation phase  Below average incomes

32 PEI Challenges  Pockets of the Island showing poverty and other risk factors  High unemployment rates  Need for flexible services that complement the seasonal economy in rural areas  Pockets of the Island with less access to services

33 PEI Challenges  Low use of services  Low education levels  Lower scores on parenting and family functioning

34 NLSCY Assessments  Cognitive skills higher than national norm  Behavioural measures on par with national norm  Behavioural problems lower than the national norm

35 Early Development Instrument  Physical health and wellbeing  Language and cognitive development  Social competence  Emotional health and maturity  Communication skills and general knowledge

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38 What does PEI need to maintain and strengthen? What does PEI need to work to change?

39 For further information, contact: Patricia MacAulay Understanding the Early Years Research Coordinator Early Childhood Development Association of PEI (902) To view UEY reports, visit: elnej/uey-cpe/pub_e.shtml