The Early Childhood Development Association of PEI Understanding the Early Years

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. Why talk about community? “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).

5. PEI Healthy Child Development Strategy PEI Children will know… • Safety and Security • Good Health • Success at Learning • Social Belonging and Responsibility Janice Ployer ~ Children’s Secretariat ~ 16 Garfield Street ~ Charlottetown, PEI ~ C1A 7N8 CALL: 368-6185 E-MAIL: jlployer@ihis.org

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

8. What is the Socioeconomic Status of PEI?

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

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) 368-1866 patricia.macaulay@ecda.pe.ca To view UEY reports, visit: www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/sp-ps/arb-dgra/nlscy-elnej/uey-cpe/pub_e.shtml