Translating Research Into Policies, Educational Reform, and Community Change for Children’s Well-Being

Session Submission Type: Symposium

Abstract

We present four projects, conducted at an interdisciplinary research faculty, that aim to create and translate research knowledge on children’s well-being into policy, school, and community action. The projects represent different disciplinary lenses, and have the following objectives, respectively: (i) implement the WHO’s international rights of the child; (ii) inform policies for early education and care; (iii) translate cross-cultural school readiness analyses into community initiatives on early childhood education; and (iv) use student self-report on well-being and social assets to plan educational reform and after-school programs. We discuss our different disciplinary frameworks, empirical findings, and ‘lessons learned’ about translating research into action and about effectively communicating research evidence to different community-, school-, and government-based audiences and stakeholder groups.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Social and Emotional Learning

Chair

• Martin Guhn, The University of British Columbia

Papers

• Early Childhood Education and Development: Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child - Ziba Vaghri, The University of British Columbia; Clyde Hertzman, The University of British Columbia

• Uncovering the Influence of Social/Emotional School Readiness on Grade 12 Achievement and Likelihood of Incarceration - Barry Forer, The University of British Columbia; Paul Kershaw, The University of British Columbia

• Using Cross-Cultural School Readiness Analyses to Inform Community Initiatives - Constance Milbrath, The University of British Columbia; Martin Guhn, The University of British Columbia; Clyde Hertzman, The University of British Columbia

• Children’s Well-Being: Social Relationships Mediate the Effects of Income - Martin Guhn, The University of British Columbia; Anne Gadermann, Harvard University; Kim A. Schonert-Reichl, The University of British Columbia; Shelley C. Hymel, The University of British Columbia; Clyde Hertzman, The University of British Columbia