k.kiernan university of york child well-being in the early years: what matters? kathleen kiernan...

K.Kiernan University of York

Child Well-Being in the Early Years: What Matters?

Kathleen KiernanUniversity of York

International Society for Child Indicators Conference July 2011


Child Well-Being in the Early Years: What Matters?

Evidence from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

CollaboratorsJohn Hobcraft, Fiona Mensah, Maria del Carmen Huerta and

Anna Garriga


Policy Context

• Reduction in Child Poverty• Child Poverty Bill June 2010

• “Every Child Matters”– Being healthy: Staying safe: Enjoying and

Achieving: Making a positive contribution and Economic well-being

• UNICEF Report (February 2007)


The Early Years Matter

• Neurons to Neighbourhoods –concluded”“ virtually every aspect of human development, from

the brains evolving circuitry to the child’s capacity for empathy, is affected by the environment and experiences that are encountered in a cumulative fashion, beginning in the pre-natal period and extending throughout the early childhood years”

US National Academy of Sciences 2000


Millennium Cohort Study

• Initially 18553 Families 18819 Children– Born in 2001-2– Families interviewed when baby 9 months old and age 3

and 5 years and age 7 years

• Over-representation– Children in disadvantaged areas– Ethnic minority communities– Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

• Linkage to hospital and school records

K.Kiernan University of YorkK.Kiernan University of York

Cognitive and Behaviour Children’s outcomes at age 5

Learning and development (Foundation stage profile – QCA 2003) - Communication, language and literacy (CLL)

- Mathematical development- Personal, social and emotional development- Knowledge and understanding of the world- Physical development- Creative development

Behaviour – total difficulties score - (SDQ – Goodman 1997)- Emotional symptoms- Conduct problems- Hyperactivity- Peer problems


Focal Factors

History of Poverty

History of Maternal Depression

Parenting at age 3 (Mediator)


Income povertyHistory of income poverty1 %

None reported 61

At 9 months or age 3 (Early) 13

At age 5 (Current) 12

At 9 months, age 3 and age 5 (Persistent)

14

1less than 60 percent of the median for the UK


Odds (ratios) of being in lowest decile of the CLL assessment


1.4

1.7

2.2

2.5

3.2

5.6

0 2 4 6

Earlier Poverty

Current Poverty

Persistent Poverty

Unadjusted

Adjusted


Odds (ratios) of having high levels of behaviour problems at age 5


1.2

1.2

1.3

2.3

2.6

4.4

0 2 4 6

Earlier Poverty

Current Poverty

Persistent Poverty

Unadjusted

Adjusted


Maternal depression and anxiety

History of maternal depression and anxiety1

%

None reported 70

At 9 months or age 3 (Prior) 14

At age 5 (Current) 12

At 9 months, age 3 and age 5 3

1Assessed using Malaise scale at 9 months and Kessler scale at 3 and 5 years


Odds (ratios) of being in lowest decile of CLL Assessment


1.3

1.4

2.1

1.7

1.9

3.5

0 2 4

Earlier Depression

Current Depression

Persistent Depression

Unadjusted

Adjusted


Odds (ratios)of having high levels of behaviour problems at age 5


2.8

5.5

7.4

3.5

6.8

11.6

0 5 10 15

Earlier Depression

Current Depression

Persistent Depression

Unadjusted

Adjusted


Findings on Poverty and Depression

• Poverty matters for children’s cognitive development but less so for behaviour problems

• Maternal Depression matters notably so for behaviour problems but also for children’s cognitive development



Parenting measures (at Age 3)

• Parental warmth and Parental Conflict

• Positive and negative discipline

• Irregular Meal times and Bedtimes

• Frequency of reading to the child

• Home Learning Environment


Parenting and Child Outcomes Odds Ratios

CLL SDQ

Warmth - Low 2.9 3.2

Conflict - High 1.9 9.7

Irregular Mealtimes 2.5 3.3

Rarely reads 3.9 3.2

Smacks frequently 1.3 ns 3.0


School Performance – Percentage performing at a good level

No Poverty and Positive Parenting 73%No Poverty and Poor Parenting 42%No Poverty (Total) 60%

Persistent Poverty and Positive Parenting 58%Persistent Poverty and Poor Parenting 19%Persistent Poverty (Total) 26%


A broader canvas

• Use data from UK Millennium Cohort Study• Examine cognitive and behaviour outcomes at

age 5 across the full distribution• Use inputs around birth, age 9 months and

age 3• Explore child characteristics & attributes• Explore parenting and parental attributes• Ascertain “What matters?”

Child Outcomes at age 5

• Total Difficulties Score on SDQ

• British Ability Scales. Overall score on three cognitive tests given in the home which assess vocabulary, pattern construction abilities and ability to identify similar pictures. .

Domains

• Child characteristics• Early mothering behaviours• Mother’s Parenting attitudes and behaviours

– Positive and negative• Mother’s mental and general health • Demographic characteristics• Partnership status and relations• Socioeconomic characteristics

Child characteristicsAround Birth SDQ at 5 Cog at 5

Male *** ***

Low Birth weight ***

Development at 9 months

Gross Motor ***

Fine Motor **

Communication/ gestures **

Carey Temperament at 9 months

Adaptability **

Regularity feeds etc ***

Cry/Fuss **

Mothering – Birth & 9 monthsAround Birth SDQ at 5 Cog at 5Obese before pregnancy ***Smoking through pregnancy **Breastfeeding ** ***At 9 monthsParental resentment/ hostility **

Parental stimulation *

Misses child if away (Reverse) ***

Parenting at age 3 - PositiveMother SDQ at 5 Cog at 5Maternal warmth *** **

Positive Home observations ***

Reads to child * ***

Home Learning environment positive ***

Regular bedtimes * ***

Regular mealtimes ** *

Parenting at age 3 - negativeMother SDQ at 5 Cog at 5Maternal child conflict high ***Home observation negative ** ***

Harsh disciplinary practices if child naughty

***

Mother’s HealthSDQ at 5 Cog at 5

Self-rated General Health *** *

Malaise (Depression) ***

Self-efficacy ***

Demographic Characteristics

SDQ at 5 Cog at 5

Mother’s age at birth under 25 ***

Family size *** positive *** negative

Mother’s ethnicity * ***

Language spoken at home ***

Partnership Status and Quality SDQ at 5 Cog at 5

Quality of Partnership and no partnership

***

Family Status at age 3 (Step Family)

*

Parental separation between 9 months and age 3

**

Socioeconomic situationSDQ at 5 Cog at 5

Mother’s education *** ***Income ***

Mother never worked at 9 months * ***

Workless household ***


What matters to age 5 in MCS?

• Measures from all domains matter for each of poor outcomes on children’s cognition and behaviour at age 5: – Pregnancy, – Parenting, – Income deprivation – Maternal Education– Maternal health– Parental Relationships– Demographic characteristics of parents and child – Child outcomes at earlier ages

Key messages

Results of very extensive analyses of MCS shows

• No ‘magic bullet’ domain• Child outcomes are a legacy of multiple poorer

inputs and circumstances across a range of domains

• Different factors matter for different outcomes

Future directions

• A greater focus on processes:– Time:

• Persistence of disadvantage• Scarring effects of disadvantage

– Change• Development as an malleable process• Drivers and inhibitors of change

• Developmental trajectories• Longitudinal Studies


Future Inequalities (UK)

• Raft of Policies enacted since MCS children passed through their early years

• 2013 Cohort – will these children fare better?

k.kiernan university of york child well-being in the early years: what matters? kathleen kiernan...

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