Kids in Communities Study (KICS) Measuring community level effects on children’s developmental...

Kids in Communities Study (KICS)Measuring community level effects on

children’s developmental outcomes

Professor Ilan Katz (Dr Sharon Goldfeld)

May 2011

Centre for Community Child Health

Kids in Communities Study Collaboration

Sharon GoldfeldPaediatrician and Research Fellow, Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Childrens Institute,Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne

Sally BrinkmanSenior Research Fellow, Centre for Developmental Health, Curtin UniversityTelethon Institute for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia

Shiji ZhaoBranch Head, Analytical Services Branch, Methodology and Data Management Division,Australian Bureau Of Statistics

Laurie FordFaculty of Graduate Studies, Human Early Learning Partnership, University of British Columbia

Ilan KatzDirector, Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales

Robert TantonPrincipal Research Fellow, National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), University of Canberra

Elisabeth WatersMcCaughey Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Social Wellbeing, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne

Geoff WoolcockUrban Policy & Management, Urban Research Program, Griffith University


KICS and the AEDI: Background to the AEDI

• Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) used as outcome measure of children’s development at school entry age

• Based on Canadian Early Development Index (EDI)• AEDI is a 100 item checklist completed by teachers – provides

a snapshot of children’s development at ~ age 5• AEDI data available at the small area level (suburb) and also

school but no individual data.• Carried out in 2009 and funding agreed for two further

national repetitions.• Every child entering school in Australia participates


AEDI Domains

• Physical health & wellbeing• Social competence• Emotional maturity• Language & cognitive skills (school-based)• Communication skills & general knowledge


Background to KICS:

• AEDI data analysis has revealed community level effects influencing AEDI outcomes

• These effects remain after controlling for family, teacher and school effects

• Of particular interest are ‘off-diagonal’ communities, with AEDI results that are either higher or lower than expected given the community’s SES

• KICS established by multidisciplinary collaboration of experts in Australia and Canada

• KICS team created a model for exploring community level effects through KICS domains


“Off diagonal” communities – exceptions to the rule: learning from the extremes (healthy deprived areas-RESILIENT & unhealthy wealthy areas-AT RISK)

66th %ile


“Off diagonal” communities – exceptions to the rule: learning from the extremes(healthy deprived areas-RESILIENT & unhealthy wealthy areas-AT RISK)

66th %ile


MARIBYRNONG AEDI community, Victoria 5 km West of Melbourne

Prepared by: AEDI National Support Centre, GIS Source: ABS SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage 2001

Level of disadvantage according to SEIFA Index (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas)


MARIBYRNONG AEDI Community, Victoria 5 km West of Melbourne

Prepared by: AEDI National Support Centre, GIS Source: AEDI Communities Data 2005

Proportion of children vulnerable on one or more domains


State and federal government policies

State & federal government policies

Local Government

Community

Family

Child

Governance domain:Governance structures & policies

Service domain:Quantity, quality,

access and coordination of

services

Social domain:Social capital,

neighbourhood, attachment, crime,

trust, safety

Physical domain:Parks, public

transport, road safety, housing

Governance domain:

Citizen engagement

Socio-economic domain:

Community SES

Physical/Natural

Social

Socio-demographic

Governance/ leadership

Locality

Child developmental outcomes

Family

National policy

State policy

Local policy Service

Community level factors influencing children’s developmentKids in Communities Study Collaboration Literature Review 2009


Pilot Phase

Pilot phase timeline:

1. Collaborators allocated to virtual workgroups responsible for each of the 5 KICS factors or environments

2. Sub-factors determined for each of the KICS factor

3. Measures and methodologies determined for each sub-factor

4. Pilot community (Sunshine North, Melbourne) determined by ‘off-diagonal’ virtual workgroup

5. Methodologies tested

Results analysis and write-up


ARC Linkage Proposal

Methodology:• Focus on ‘off-diagonal’ communities• Match a proportion of off diagonals with on-diagonals close by• Communities must have adequate numbers of children for data

accuracy• Approximately 40 communities across 5 states and territories

− NSW, VIC, Qld, SA, ACT− 15 in NSW

• 20 communities involve primary research


Methodologies overview

• Household surveys• Neighbourhood observations• Geospatial mapping• Stakeholder interviews• Parent focus groups• Grey literature analysis• Governance observations


Timelines

Year Stage/Time

Project milestone Outputs

1 1: Jan-June

Undertake analyses for off-diagonal communities and establish locations together with partners

Peer reviewed paper and policy report on model for off diagonal method.

1 2 :Mar-Sept

Finalise measures and commence research assistant training for data collection

Report on measures for partner organisations

1 2:From Jul: Contact commences with measurement in communities with associated data analysis

2 2: Jan-Dec Data collection and analysis

3 2: Jan-July Data collection and analysis

3 3: Mar-Dec Synthesis of findings and final reporting 3x PhD


Analyses to determine community level factors (including policy) most influencing child developmental outcomes in Australia and Canada

Development of appropriate indicators for community “wellbeing”

Implications for policy interventions

“intervention” trial

Potential collaboration outcomes


Challenges: problems to solve!

• Defining ‘off diagonal’ operationally− May refer to average of all domains, one domain etc− How ‘off’ must it be?− Separating statistical anomalies from real effects

• Measuring system level change-the outcome/s of many inputs

• Differentiating between family, community and early school influence on wellbeing.

• Extracting general trends from site-specific factors.


Ilan Katz

Professor and DirectorSocial Policy Research Centre

[email protected]

www.sprc.unsw.edu.au

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/

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