Highlands

Population

This is a rural area with a population of 1,675 in 2001 and a total of 85 children aged 0-4, comprising 5.1% of the total population.

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Mobility

On average, 19% of Victoria area residents (nearly one in five) changed homes in the year prior to the census. This is higher than both the BC (16.4%) and National (14.3%) mobility averages. In Highlands, only 9.1% of the total population of this neighbourhood changed addresses in the year prior to the census; this represents lower mobility than region as a whole.

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Childcare

Good quality childcare can positively influence developmental outcomes for young children whether it is provided in the home or in a child care centre.

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Access to Licensed Childcare

Based on 2003 and 2005 data, there is one out of school care program and no licensed childcare for young children in the Highlands and.

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Lone Parent Families

Close to one in fourteen (6.8%) families in the Highlands neighbourhood are headed by a lone parent. This much lower than the incidence of lone parent families in the entire Victoria area, which was 16% in 2001. Lone parent families face significant challenges in balancing the demands of raising children while earning a living. Children of lone parent families are more likely to be living in poverty than those from two-parent families. While most children from lone-parent households do well, research has shown that a higher proportion of children with cognitive and behavioural problems come from such families.

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Income

A higher family income level makes the conditions for healthy child development more easily accessible. For example, access to good quality child care, nutritious food, secure housing, and community participation improves as income level rises.

The average annual household income in the Highlands area is $78,000 and 2% of the population of this neighbourhood, or one in forty, fall below the low income cutoff. The StatsCan Census Dictionary defines the low income cut-off as economic families or unattached individuals who spend 20% more than average on food, shelter and clothing. In 2000, nearly one in every ten families in Victoria was below the low-income cut-off (9%), compared with 13.6% of BC families, and 12.6% of Canadian families.

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Unemployment

Research has shown that neighbourhoods with high levels of unemployment can impact negatively on children's behavioural outcomes. The mean unemployment rate for the Victoria CMA was 6.6%, slightly lower than the overall national rate of 7.4% and the provincial average of 8.5%. The unemployment rate for Highlands is 3-5%, which is lower than the regional rate.

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Education

Higher parental education is positively related to the language development of children. Studies have shown that the education level of the primary caregiver, often the mother, is of particular significance to the child's readiness for school . In Highlands, more than one in eight adults (13%) has not completed grade 12. This is lower than local and provincial averages of 19-20%. Approximately one fifth of adults (18-25%) in this neighbourhood have a bachelors degree or higher.

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Pregnancy & Birth Information

There were 14,517 live births in the study area between 1998 and 2002. In 2001, there were 49 live births to women residing in Highlands, corresponding to a live birth rate of 20-29 per 1000 population.

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Small For Gestational Age

A baby that is born small for gestational age is one that has a low birth weight after consideration for duration of the mother's pregnancy. This measure is generally more useful than looking strictly at low birth weight because there is a stronger connection to the future use of health services; babies that are small for gestational age typically have long lasting health consequences and a greater need for services than low birth weight babies (though there is some overlap between the two groups). The smallest 10% of babies at each gestational age - excluding twins and triplets - are defined as 'small for gestational age'.

There were a total of 203 infants born Small for Gestational Age (SGA) in the study area during the period 1998 to 2002, accounting for 1.4% of all live births. In Highlands, less than 0.5% of babies born between 1998 and 2002 were SGA.

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Low Birth Weight

Low birth weight babies are those less than 2500 grams or 5.5 pounds, and are either born before 37 weeks gestation or are small for gestational age. Low birth weight is a key determinant of infant survival, health and development. Low birth weight has been linked to infant mortality, physical disability and long term health problems, including heart disease and diabetes. In Highlands, 2.3% - 2.6% of babies born between 1998 and 2002 had a low birth weight.

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High Birth Weight

High birth weight may increase an infant's disposition to certain chronic conditions in adulthood, including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and breast cancer HBW is defined as infants born weighing over 4,000 grams . Between 1998 and 2002, the proportion of high birth weight babies in the study area ranged from 12% to 32%. In Highlands, approximately 14.4% - 16.1% of infants born between 1998 and 2002 had a high birth weight.

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Proportion of Infants Born to Teenage Mothers

Throughout the study site, there were a total of 94 births to teen mothers (aged 15-19) in 2001. The proportion of births to teen mothers by neighbourhood ranges from 0% to 12.2%. The teen fertility rate in 2001 for the study area is 10 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19. In Highlands in 2001 3.8 - 6.1% of the births were to teenaged mothers.

How is early childhood healthy development related to children born to teenage mothers? Research from the Canadian National Longitudinal Study of Children and Youth demonstrates that the highest rates of smoking by pregnant women is among mothers in their teens and early twenties, and we know that smoking contributes to both low birth weight and small for gestational age babies. In addition to these facts, we know that smoking is modifiable and that pregnant women are generally very motivated to make such life style changes. There are other factors related to teenage motherhood, which are more difficult to modify, but are important to consider in the way a community offers support. Teen mothers are characterized by socio-economic disadvantage and interrupted education, and they are also more likely to be depressed. There is a clear pattern of improvement in childhood outcomes as childbearing age increases. Children of mothers aged 26-30 show the least vulnerability to problematic outcomes.

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Early Development Instrument Results: Highlands

A total of 46 children from the Highlands are included in the EDI results for this neighbourhood. Approximately than one in five children in the Highlands neighbourhood are vulnerable on one or more scales of the EDI. Based on the population aged 0-4 in 2001, there are approximately 17 vulnerable young children in this neighbourhood.

Table: Summary of EDI Results for Highlands

  Physical Social Emotional Language Communication Overall
Average score /10 8.78 7.97 8.21 8.58 8.41  
% Vulnerable 10.87 8.70 2.27 6.52 2.17 19.57
Classification Wide Range Buffered Buffered Low Challenge Wide Range / Low Challenge  

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Physical Health & Well-being

Young children in the Highlands neighbourhood scored slightly higher than average on the physical well-being scale for the EDI. A little more than one in ten children are considered vulnerable in terms of physical health and well-being. Based on the high average score, and slightly higher than expected vulnerability, this is a 'wide range' neighbourhood.

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Social Competence

Children in the Highlands scored lower than average on this scale. Less than one in ten children are considered vulnerable in terms of social competence compared to local cutoffs.

Given the low average score and the low vulnerability, this is a 'buffered' domain.

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Emotional Maturity

Children in the Highlands are also in the average range on this scale. Fewer than 3% of children are vulnerable in this d omain. Given average scores and low vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered buffered in this domain.

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Language & Cognitive Development

Children in the Highlands scored slightly higher than average for this domain, and one in thirteen children are considered vulnerable in this domain. Given high average scores and low vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered low challenge in this domain.

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Communication & General Knowledge

Children in the Highlands scored higher than average for this domain. Approximately one in forty children are considered vulnerable in this domain.

This neighbourhood is considered wide range/ Low Challenge in this domain.

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