Creating community indicators for early childhood development: challenges and innovations from the kids in communities study

Article

Goldfeld, Sharon, Villanueva, Karen, Tanton, Robert, Katz, Ilan, Brinkman, Sally, Giles-Corti, Billie and Woolcock, Geoffrey. 2019. "Creating community indicators for early childhood development: challenges and innovations from the kids in communities study." Cities & Health. 3 (1-2), pp. 68-77. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2019.1596525
Article Title

Creating community indicators for early childhood development: challenges and innovations from the kids in communities study

ERA Journal ID212071
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsGoldfeld, Sharon (Author), Villanueva, Karen (Author), Tanton, Robert (Author), Katz, Ilan (Author), Brinkman, Sally (Author), Giles-Corti, Billie (Author) and Woolcock, Geoffrey (Author)
Journal TitleCities & Health
Journal Citation3 (1-2), pp. 68-77
Number of Pages10
Year2019
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Place of PublicationUnited States
ISSN2374-8834
2374-8842
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2019.1596525
Web Address (URL)https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23748834.2019.1596525
Abstract

The community (or neighbourhood) is seen as a potential point of intervention for improving early childhood development outcomes through place-based approaches targeting all children. Yet there are insufficient robust data to guide policy and practice. Developing community factors for early childhood development is one way to facilitate more informed, evidence-based community action. This paper discusses the methodological learnings from the Kids in Communities Study, an Australian investigation into community-level factors important for early childhood development, including some of the challenges and innovations associated with the measurement and development of indicators. It highlights the importance of not only developing quantitative community indicators, but also in capturing qualitative data that emerge from communities. In an environment where the implementation of place-based approaches has outpaced the evidence, there is an urgent need for rigorous evidence that can identify community factors (and hence potential actions) that might influence early childhood development.

KeywordsCommunity, early child health and development, mixed methods, indicators
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020440699. Human geography not elsewhere classified
330401. Community planning
441016. Urban sociology and community studies
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Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
Byline AffiliationsDepartment of Health, Victoria
University of Melbourne
University of Canberra
University of New South Wales
University of Western Australia
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
Rural Economies Centre of Excellence
Funding source
Grant ID
LP130100411
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