Outer Gulf Islands

Population

The Outer Gulf Islands include Galiano, Mayne, Pender, and Saturna Islands. In 2001, there were 140 children aged 0-4 on the Outer Gulf Islands, comprising 2.6-3.4% 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. On the Outer Gulf Islands, 12-15% of the total population of this neighbourhood changed addresses in the year prior to the census; this represents lower mobility than the region as a whole.

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Implications

High levels of mobility may be stressful for families and young children. This may affect the degree to which families know their neighbours, or are familiar with the resources around them. Families in neighbourhoods with high-mobility are less likely to connect with other families for informal support and information. In addition to being socially disruptive, a high level of transience is a huge challenge for community development approaches to child development and to continuity of care for children with special needs. When children reach school age, it becomes a further challenge for educational momentum and continuity. Increasing family residential mobility has been associated with higher levels of behavioural vulnerability in middle childhood. It is reasonable to infer that the high rates of residential transience in inner city neighbourhoods complicate efforts to build social cohesion that impacts children in those areas (Hertzman et al., 2002).

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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 childcare centre.

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Access to Licensed Childcare

The Outer Gulf Islands have between 20-31 spaces per 100 children aged 0-5 (2003).

There is one licensed family child care facility and one preschool on Pender Island. There is no other licensed child care on the Outer Gulf Islands (2005).

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Lone Parent Families

Approximately 7-11% of amilies (125 families in total) living on the Outer Gulf Islands are headed by a lone parent. This is lower than the regional average of 16%. 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 Outer Gulf Islands area is $49,000 and 12.9% of the population of this neighbourhood, or one in fourteen people, 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 Outer Gulf Islands is 7-8.4%, which is slightly higher 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 Outer Gulf Islands, almost one in five adults (18-20%) has not completed grade 12. This is consistent with local and provincial averages. Nearly one quarter 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 17 live births to women residing in Outer Gulf Islands, corresponding to a live birth rate of 1-5 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. On the Outer Gulf Islands, between 1.6 and 1.9% of babies born between 1998 and 2002 were SGA, one of the highest SGA rates in the region.

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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. On the Outer Gulf Islands, 3.7-4.8% 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%. On the Outer Gulf Islands, approximately 20-22% 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% across the region. The teen fertility rate in 2001 for the study area is 10 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19. On the Outer Gulf Islands in 2001, there were no births to teenaged mothers.

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Early Development Instrument Results: Outer Gulf Islands

A total of 50 children from Outer Gulf Islands are included in the EDI results for this neighbourhood (2003 and 2004). Fewer than one in eleven children on the Outer Gulf Islands are vulnerable on one or more scales of the EDI. Based on the population aged 0-4 in 2001, there are approximately 11 vulnerable young children in this neighbourhood.

Table: Summary of EDI Results for Outer Gulf Islands

  Physical Social Emotional Language Communication Overall
Average score /10 8.63 8.76 8.28 8.06 7.67  
% Vulnerable 4.00 2.00 2.04 6.00 4.08 8.00
Classification Buffered Low Challenge Low Challenge Buffered Buffered  

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Physical Health & Well-being

Young Children on the Outer Gulf Islands scored in the average range on the physical well-being scale for the EDI. Fewer than one in twenty-five children are considered vulnerable in terms of physical health and well being. Based on the average score and lower than expected vulnerability, this is a 'buffered' domain for this neighbourhood.

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Social Competence

Children on the Outer Gulf Islands scored slightly higher than average on this scale. Only 2% of children are considered vulnerable in terms of social competence compared to local cutoffs.

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

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Emotional Maturity

Children on the Outer Gulf Islands scored slightly higher than average in this domain. Only 2% of children are considered vulnerable in terms of emotional maturity. Given the high average scores and low vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered low challenge in this domain.

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Language & Cognitive Development

Children on the Outer Gulf Islands scored in the average range for this domain, and 6% of children are considered vulnerable in this domain. Given average scores and low vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered buffered in this domain.

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Communication & General Knowledge

Children on the Outer Gulf Islands scored in the average range for this domain. Approximately 4% of children, or one in twenty-five, are considered vulnerable in this domain.

The average score and lower than anticipated vulnerability suggest his neighbourhood is buffered in this domain.

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