Poster #111 - Association of Early Childhood Education and Care Services With School Readiness among Allophone Children

• In Event: Poster Session 09

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Immigration flows are a crucial challenge in Western countries, where the proportion of allophone children rose in the past decade (OCDE, 2021; International Migration Outlook 2021). These children, defined as children having non-official language(s) as their mother tongue, may present lower school readiness than their non-allophone peers. In Québec-Canada, community-based childcare and education services (ECEC) are largely publicly funded and may serve as a population-level intervention when promoting educational equity (Melhuish, 2011). However, evidence supporting the beneficial influence of community-based ECEC among allophone children is limited both in Canada and elsewhere.

METHODS: In the current study, we used data from The Québec Survey of Child Development in Kindergarten (QSCK; n=83,335), a cross-sectional province-wide sample of children attending full-time Kindergarten for 5-Year-Olds in 2016-2017 in Québec. We examine the association between community-based ECEC and 5 consequential dimensions of school readiness (Emotional maturity, social competence, language and cognitive development, communication skills and general knowledge, physical health and wellbeing) among allophone children and non-allophone children. Children’s mother tongue(s) were categorized as French and English-speaking (official languages in Canada) or allophone (any other language). ECEC types used during the preschool years (parental care, childcare, pre-Kindergarten, or childcare + pre-kindergarten) were assessed and reported by teachers. Data on children’s developmental outcomes in kindergarten, as indicators of their school readiness, were obtained via teacher ratings on the Early Development Instrument (EDI, Janus & Offord, 2007; ©Mc Master University, Ontario). We estimated associations between ECEC and school readiness according to children’s allophone status using multilevel linear and logistic regressions. Background confounding factors (e.g., socioeconomic, familial) were controlled using propensity score inverse-probability weighting.

RESULTS: Allophone children who attended childcare services or childcare and pre-kindergarten showed overall higher school readiness ([ß]: 3.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.02–3.92; and [ß] 3.35; 95% [CI]: 2.84–3.85; P < .001; respectively) compared to their peers who stayed in parental care during the preschool years. Estimates for the EDI dimensions were [ß] 0.86; 95% [CI]: 0.75–0.98 for language and cognitive development; [ß] 1.52; 95% [CI]: 1.35–1.69 for communication skills and general knowledge; [ß] 0.22; 95% [CI]: 0.12–0.31 for emotional maturity; [ß] 0.40; 95% [CI]: 0.29–0.51for social competence; [ß] 0.46; 95% [CI]: 0.38–0.54 for physical health and wellbeing. Benefits of ECEC on school readiness were also observed for non-allophone children, although to a lesser extent, [ß] 2.00; 95% [CI]: 1.85–2.14 French-speaking children; and [ß] 2.37; 95% [CI]: 1.84–2.91 English; P < .001; English-speaking children).

CONCLUSION: This study found that community-based ECEC was associated with greater school readiness among allophone children compared to their peers who remained in parental care during the preschool years. Community-based ECEC may reduce risks of delays attributable to language difficulties and may have a positive impact on allophone children from immigrant backgrounds.

Authors

• Pascale Domond, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center
  Presenting Author

• Ophélie Collet, Université de Montréal (UdeM)

• Sylvana M Côté, Université de Montréal (UdeM)