Strawberry Vale
- Population
- Mobility
- Implications
- Childcare
- Access to Licensed Childcare
- Lone Parent Families
- Income
- Unemployment
- Education
- Pregnancy & Birth Information
- Small For Gestational Age
- Low Birth Weight
- High Birth Weight
- Proportion of Infants Born to Teenage Mothers
- Early Development Instrument Results: Strawberry Vale
- Early Development Instrument Results: Thetis Lake
- Proportion Adults Aged 20+ Without High School Graduation, Capital Region, 2001
- Proportion Adults Aged 20+ With Bachelor's Degree or Higher Capital Region, 2001
Population
In 2001, 7,620 people lived in the Strawberry Vale area. There were a total of 425 children aged 0-4, comprising 5.6% of the total population. Due to rapid new development in the neighbourhood that is not reflected in the 2001 census, EDI results are presented as two separate neighbourhoods: Strawberry Vale, and Thetis Lake.
Map
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 Strawberry Vale, 13% of the total population of this neighbourhood changed addresses in the year prior to the census; this represents slightly lower mobility than region as a whole.
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.
Map
[ back to top ]
Implications
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).
[ back to top ]
Childcare
Good quality childcare can positively influence developmental outcomes for young children whether it is provided in the home or in a childcare centre.
Map
[ back to top ]
Access to Licensed Childcare
Strawberry Vale has between 49 and 69 spaces per 100 children aged 0-5 (2003).
There are ten licensed family child care facilities, one out of school care facility, two preschools, three group day care facilities in the Strawberry Vale neighbourhood (2005). There is no child minding or infant care available in this neighbourhood.
[ back to top ]
Lone Parent Families
Close to one in eight (12.7%) families in the Strawberry Vale neighbourhood 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.
Map
[ back to top ]
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 Strawberry Vale area is $68,600 and 7.0% 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.
Map
[ back to top ]
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 Strawberry Vale is 5 - 5.7%, which is slightly lower than the regional rate.
Map
[ back to top ]
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 Strawberry Vale, nearly one in five adults (18.6%) has not completed grade 12. This is similar to local and provincial averages of 19-20%. Close to one sixth of adults (15-18%) in this neighbourhood have a bachelors' degree or higher.
Maps
[ back to top ]
Pregnancy & Birth Information
There were 14,517 live births in the study area between 1998 and 2002. In 2001, there were 81 live births to women residing in Strawberry Vale, corresponding to a live birth rate of 8-9 per 1000 population.
Map
[ back to top ]
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 Strawberry Vale, between 1.6% and 1.9% of babies born between 1998 and 2002 were SGA.
Map
[ back to top ]
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 Strawberry Vale, 5 - 6.6% of babies born between 1998 and 2002 had a ow birth weight.
Map
[ back to top ]
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 Strawberry Vale, approximately 16-18% of infants born between 1998 and 2002 had a high birth weight.
Map
[ back to top ]
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 Strawberry Vale in 2001, 0.9 - 1.6% 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.
Map
[ back to top ]
Early Development Instrument Results: Strawberry Vale
EDI results for the area described above as "Strawberry Vale" as divided into two separate EDI reporting neighbourhoods, Strawberry Vale and Thetis Lake. Both EDI reporting neighbourhoods violate the minimum size requirements for EDI reliability.
A total of 35 children from Strawberry Vale are included in the EDI results for this neighbourhood. This violates the minimum size requirements for EDI validity. Approximately one in six children in Strawberry Vale is vulnerable on one or more scales of the EDI.
Table: Summary of EDI Results for Strawberry Vale
| Physical | Social | Emotional | Language | Communication | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average score /10 | 9.13 | 9.37 | 9.36 | 9.00 | 8.13 | |
| % Vulnerable | 8.57 | 2.94 | 0 | 5.88 | 8.57 | 17.14 |
| Classification | Wide Range | Low Challenge | Low Challenge | Wide Range | Low Challenge |
Physical Health & Well-being
Young children in the Strawberry Vale neighbourhood fall into the high end of the physical well-being scale for the EDI. One in eleven children is considered vulnerable in terms of physical health and well-being. Based on the high average score, yet slightly higher than expected vulnerability, this is a 'Wide Range' domain for this neighbourhood.
[ back to top ]
Social Competence
Children in Strawberry Vale also scored higher than average on this scale. Fewer than 3% of children are considered vulnerable in terms of social competence compared to local cutoffs.
Given the low vulnerability and the high average score, this is a 'low challenge' domain.
[ back to top ]
Emotional Maturity
Children in Strawberry Vale scored very high in this domain, the highest of any of the Victoria area neighbourhoods. None of the children are considered vulnerable in terms of emotional maturity. Given high average scores and absence of vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered low challenge.
[ back to top ]
Language & Cognitive Development
Children in Strawberry Vale scored higher than the average range in this domain, and approximately one in twenty children is considered vulnerable in this domain. Given high average scores and fairly low vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered wide range in this domain.
[ back to top ]
Communication & General Knowledge
Children in Strawberry Vale scored slightly higher than average for this domain. Approximately one in twelve children (8.57%) are considered vulnerable in this domain.
This neighbourhood is considered low challenge in this domain.
[ back to top ]
Early Development Instrument Results: Thetis Lake
A total of 36 children from Thetis Lake are included in the EDI results for this neighbourhood. This violates the minimum size requirements for EDI validity. Approximately one in eight children in Thetis Lake is vulnerable on one or more scales of the EDI.
Table: Summary of EDI Results for Thetis Lake
| Physical | Social | Emotional | Language | Communication | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average score /10 | 8.65 | 8.33 | 8.50 | 8.81 | 7.99 | |
| % Vulnerable | 2.78 | 8.33 | 6.06 | 2.78 | 0 | 13.89 |
| Classification | Buffered | Medium Challenge | Low Challenge |
[ back to top ]
Physical Health & Well-being
Young Children in the Thetis Lake neighbourhood fall into average range for the physical well-being scale for the EDI. Less than 3% of children are considered vulnerable in terms of physical health and well-being. Based on the average score, yet lower than expected vulnerability, this is a 'buffered domain for this neighbourhood.
[ back to top ]
Social Competence
Children in Thetis Lake also scored in the average range on this scale. Approximately one in twelve children is considered vulnerable in terms of social competence compared to local cutoffs.
Given the low vulnerability and the average score, this is a 'medium challenge' domain.
[ back to top ]
Emotional Maturity
Children in Thetis Lake scored slightly higher than average in this domain. Approximately one in seventeen children are considered vulnerable in terms of emotional maturity. Given high average scores and fairly low vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered low challenge.
[ back to top ]
Language & Cognitive Development
Children in Thetis Lake scored very well in this domain, and fewer than 3% of children are considered vulnerable in this domain. Given high average scores and fairly low vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered wide range in this domain.
[ back to top ]
Communication & General Knowledge
Children in Thetis Lake scored slightly higher than average for this domain. None of the children are considered vulnerable in this domain.
This neighbourhood is considered low challenge in this domain.
[ back to top ]