the wellbeing of children heather joshi april 2016
TRANSCRIPT
The Wellbeing of ChildrenIdeas for discussion Education Policy Meeting OECD April 14 2016 Professor Heather Joshi
1. Concepts of well being among adults and children
2. Arenas affecting child well being
3. Dimensions of child well being, measured and unmeasured
4. Differences across and within OECD countries
5. Social gaps in life chances: USA, UK, Australia, Canada
6. Findings for children in 4 developing countries
7. Two child-unfriendly practices
8. Points about measurement and policy
Outline
The economy produces output intended to serve human welfare though the provision of goods and services, which are consumed or accumulated.
GDP does not reflect all aspects of the quality of life. ‘Money is not everything’
Other aspects include interpersonal relationships, security, trust, tolerance, enjoyment of health and the expectation of life chances
‘Well-being is about the harmony that exists between individuals, communities and the universe’ (WHO constitution)
Measurement matters as “Information and statistics are a powerful tool for creating a culture of accountability and for realizing human rights" (UNDP Human Development Report, 2000)
Well being and Economic Performance
Childhood is a time of growth and learning, a complex journey to adulthood
Children are humans in their own right
..but have less direct access to resources, and cannot vote
Need adult support and protection – but also to learn to become responsible for themselves
There are more years of life ahead than for those who are already ‘grown up’
Society needs good citizens and values good nurturing
What’s special about the Well Being of Chilldren?
Human rights Human resources Human capital Social capital Cultural capital Living Standards Life ChancesChild rights and child development are interdependent. Child and parent well being also interdependent.)
Well being, Welfare, Well-becoming and allied concepts
In modern societies people normally become parents by choice to enjoy family life and expect to provide children with:
A safe home, physical and emotional nurture, culture, social links, knowledge, skills, aspirations…..
Some parents may be less well placed to provide these, especially if parenthood unanticipated, if the resources needed turn out to be inadequate
Children’s development may be impeded by lack of family investment, or the transmission of family stress
Arena 1: The family
No family is sufficiently specialised to raise workers with all the skills needed in the modern economy,
Not even in the early years (see OECD ECEC report) when development laid down and social gradients emerge
School (+ health services) can redress family shortfalls in learning, physical and mental health
School can help children acquire non-academic and social skills, and engage in the community
School with others can ensure that children not only pass their exams but develop ‘in the round’.
On the other hand, schools may reinforce inequalities between homes
Arena 2: The role of schooling
The company of other children
The local community
The cultural climate
The nation state
The economy
The built environment and transport systems
The natural environment
Cyber space
Arena 3: Wider society
What makes a Good Childhood ?
Promoting positive well being for children. A report for decision makers in parliament, central government and local areas. The Children’s Society, London 2012
http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/tcs/promoting_positive_well-being_for_children_final.pdf
Dimensions of Well being used by OECD in 2015 report ‘How’s Life’?
Not specifically included in Child Well being count
Good Governance
Social cohesion
Ecological Efficiency
Natural capital
Human Capital
Spiritual and cultural fulfilment
Adult Work/life Balance
Time use /leisure
Indicators on children’s families
1 Income and Wealth
2 Jobs and earnings
3 Housing conditions
4 Environmental quality
Specific to children
5 Health status
6 Education and skills
7 Civic engagement
8 Social and family environment
9 Personal security
10 Subjective well-being
General 10 Headings covered for Child well being
28 Detailed indicators of Child Well Being OECD 2015
1. Income and Wealth
Disposable income of households with childrenChild income poverty
2. Jobs and earnings
Children in workless householdsChildren with a long-term unemployed parent
3. Housing conditions
Average rooms per childFamily homes lacking basic facilities
4. Environment Children in homes with poor environmental conditions
5. Health status
Infant mortality
Low birth weight
Self-reported health status
Overweight and obesity
Adolescent suicide rates
Teenage birth rates
6. Education and Skills
PISA mean reading score
PISA creative problem solving scoreYouth not in job/education/training (NEET)
Educational deprivation ( age 15)
7. Civic engagement
Intention to voteCivic participation
8. Social and family environment
Teenagers talking easily to their parents
Students reporting kind, helpful classmates
Students feeling pressure from schoolwork
Students liking schoolTime children spend with their parentsPISA sense of belonging index
9. Personal security
Child homicide ratesBullying
10. Subjective Life satisfaction
Other potential itemsOf varying ease of measurement and relevance by child age and by culture
Breastfeeding Healthy diet Regular sleep Regular meals Physical activity Play (work-life balance for
children) Social and emotional skills
Mental Health Freedom from abuse,
neglect, trafficking and violence
Risky behaviours Trouble with police Use and abuse of social
media,
Child well-being outcomes across OECD countries Most countries in mixed position (How’s Life?, 2015)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Share of indicators where a country is among the bottom third performers
Shar
e of
indi
cato
rs w
here
a co
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y is
amon
g th
e to
p th
ird p
erfo
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s
High academic scores in East Asia (Japan and Korea in this report)
Best practice for other countries to emulate, or gained at the expense of pressure on children ?
Survey asking students about pressure not conducted in these countries, but Children’s Worlds found Korean children less ‘satisfied with their marks’
No single explanation for high scores in East Asia: teacher quality, teaching methods, curriculum, parenting styles, out of school tuition, peer pressure, motivation, cultural valuation of education
Differences between countries
Jerrim J. (2015) ‘Why do East Asian children perform so well in PISA?’ Oxford Review of Education
PARADOX: USA High Child Poverty + high GDP
% of children aged 0-17 living in households with disposable income below 50% of the median
DNK FINNOR ISL
SVNDEU
AUTSWE
CZEGBR
KOR IRLCHE
NLDFRA
ESTLUX
BELSVK
AUSPOL
OECDNZL
CANJP
NHUN
PRT ITAGRC
USAESP
CHLMEX
TUR ISR
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2011 2007
The report covers differences by age, gender, migration, but the most pervasive are by socio-economic status
N more affluent children tend to have better health and a happier school life.
N Less affluent children more likely to be bullied, or not intend to vote, and have ..
N lower life satisfaction, lower reading scores, less communication with parents
It concludes..‘Growing inequality among parents ends up sapping opportunities available to their children’
Within-country differences
Low current resources are associated with many aspects of low current well-being, in the 2015 report. What about well-becoming, life chances through time?What are the prospects of escaping poverty?Is childhood inequality compensated by social mobility?For this we need evidence which follows individual children through time.
Declining Equality of Opportunity in USA
Putnam tells of a growing gap in the life chances of Americans in the life stories of successive generations by home background. In the 1950s the social capital in tight knit communities enabled ‘all boats to float’ on a rising tide of economic opportunity. ‘Our kids’ refers to communities taking an interest in ‘other people’s kids’. The dream faded for many born towards the end of the century. The picture changed to one of ‘diverging destinies’ (McLanahan )
Children’s Achievement gaps in English-speaking countries
This book compares data following the same children from birth to age 11 in USA, UK, Australia and Canada. Compared to USA, the other countries start with smaller achievement gaps and tend to be more successful at closing them during primary school.
https://www.russellsage.org/publications/too-many-children-left-behind
U.S. U.K. Australia Canada
Survey name
Early Childhood Longitudinal
Study, Kindergarten
Cohort (ECLS-K)
Millennium Cohort Study
(MCS)
Longitudinal Study of Australian
Children Kindergarten
Cohort (LSAC-K)
National Longitudinal
Study of Children and
Youth (NLSCY)
Cohort birth dates 1992-93 2000-02 1999-2000 1991-94
Common ages when children assessed
5, 9, 11 5, 7, 11 5, 9, 11 5, 7, 9, 11
Too Many Children Left BehindCohort studies providing evidence
Sample size 8,370 11,762 3,940 4,346
Source: Bradbury et al 2015
Gap attributable to early years biggest in USA which also shows more subsequent divergence to at age 11. Preventing inequalities emerging in early years is very important, but what happens once school starts, in and out of school, contributes to differences.
Achievement gaps during primary schooling: within USA, UK and Australia
Scores are standard deviations, attribution allows for regression to mean. Not available for Canada.Source: Bradbury et al 2015
AUSTRALIA
UK
USA
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Gap in reading score at 11 between children with high and low educated parents
Attributed to initial pre-primary differencesAttributed to subsequent divergence
Children with Teenage Mothers: intergenerational divergence
High Medium Low0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
3%
12%
21%
Parental education
Perc
enta
ge o
f chi
ldre
n bo
rn to
a te
enag
e m
othe
r
United States
United King-dom
Canada
Australia
One in 5 children in low educated US families were born to a teen mother, but only 3% in high educated families
Source: Bradbury et al 2015
Evidence from outside OECD: YOUNG LIVES STUDY
DFID-funded.www.younglives.org.uk
Vietnam has high achievement at all social levels: effective schools
Ethiopia India Peru Vietnam300
350
400
450
500
550
0102030405060708090
Maths scores of 12 year-olds in 4 Young Lives countries, 2006
median math score at 12% over min score 400, right hand scale
Maths as tested in TIMSSFewer students lag behind in Vietnam.
Source: A Singh ( 2014) Emergence and Evolution of Learning Gapsacross Countries: Panel Evidence from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam. Young Lives, Oxford
Discipline and child rights
Corporal punishment in schools Prevalent in Young Lives countries despite laws against it Particularly affects disadvantaged students Affects liking school and drop out Punishment at age 8 associated with poor social/ emotional skills and
cognitive scores at 12 Study concludes: Break a culture of violence in schools and improve
teacher training. Harsh discipline from parents also associated with poor
outcomes in rich countries (eg Putnam, 2015).
M O Portela & K Pells (2015) Corporal Punishment in Schools Longitudinal Evidence from Ethiopia, India Peru and Viet Nam. UNICEF Innocenti office of Research Discussion paper 2015-2
Grade repetition – another driver of disillusionment and inequality
High Medium Low0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
11%
17%
26%
Parental education
Perc
ent o
f chi
ldre
n re
tain
ed b
y 5t
h gr
ade
United States
Canada
Australia
Rates are much higher in the US than elsewhere, and noticeably higher among low-SES children
Source: Bradbury et al 2015
Ideally indicators should be holistic but the choice will be affected by measurability, timelieness and actionability
Balance among dimensions is important
Child’s age affects whether they can provide their own voice.
Try to choose indicators of the present which also help predicting future well being
Longitudinal data useful to understand drivers of poor outcomes and monitor divergence
Children, like other people have prediction-defying idiosyncracies
Points about what to measure
Measure what counts, rather than only considering what happens to be measured
Allow children take responsibility for themselves neither too late nor too early
Co-ordinate action by parents, schools, wider services
Ministers with responsibility across different policy areas should aim to ensure a balance of provisions for young people of different ages and backgrounds
Joining up policies easier if the data on child well being is comprehensive, comparable and reliable
Thanks to the efforts of the child indicators community, children need not be out of sight nor out of mind.
The ‘level playing field’ should permit fun as well as competition.
Finally, what should be done?
Thank you
spare
Age of childN Families with small children show lower economic resources, important for early years development (OECD ECEC Network).
N Indicators tend to show more about adolescents’ quality of life.
GenderN Not great differences between girls’ and boy’s scores in contemporary OECD countries.
N Girls more concerned about their bodies in some countries in Children’s World Survey.
N Teenage motherhood a risk for girls, in a few countries, also jeopardising life chances of the offspring (whether or not birth was intended).
Differences within countries