Do Neighbourhoods Influence the Readiness to Learn of Kindergarten Children in Vancouver? A Multilevel Analysis of Neighbourhood Effects

Lisa N Oliver, James R Dunn, Dafna E Kohen and Clyde Hertzman
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Lisa N Oliver: Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
James R Dunn: Centre for Research on Inner-city Health, St Michael's Hospital, and Departments of Geography and Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
Dafna E Kohen: Health Analysis and Measurement Group, Statistics Canada, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, ON K1A 0T6, Canada
Clyde Hertzman: Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP), Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of British Columbia, 3rd Floor, Library Processing Centre, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada

Environment and Planning A, 2007, vol. 39, issue 4, 848-868

Abstract: A growing body of literature has examined the effects of neighbourhood characteristics on child health and well-being and the mechanisms through which such effects may operate. Research investigating neighbourhood effects on children is based on the notion that individuals and families who live in a neighbourhood collectively create a social context that influences the developing child. In this paper we investigate the relationship between individual and neighbourhood socioeconomic characteristics and kindergarten children's readiness to learn in Vancouver, Canada ( n = 3736), using multilevel modeling techniques and 1996 census data for Vancouver neighbourhoods ( n = 68). Findings suggest that although family-level characteristics carry the most weight in shaping children's readiness to learn, neighbourhood-level factors are independently associated with early developmental outcomes, particularly physical health and well-being, language and cognitive development, and communications skills and general knowledge. The strongest neighbourhood characteristics associated with readiness to learn were median income and the percentage of single-parent families. Also important were the percentage of the population who had not moved in the previous five years and the percentage of the population whose mother tongue was non-English. The latter neighbourhood characteristic was an especially strong predictor of communication skills and general knowledge. The findings suggest that neighbourhood-based policies to improve physical health and well-being, language and cognitive development, and communications skills may also meet with some success.

Date: 2007
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:envira:v:39:y:2007:i:4:p:848-868

DOI: 10.1068/a37126

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