Child development, human Child development, human development and the progress of development and the progress of

societiessocieties

Fiona StanleyTelethon Institute for Child Health

Research and

Stephen R ZubrickCurtin University of Technology

Perth, Western Australia

28 June 2007

Overview Overview

The Australian population: who’s growing old, who’s growing young?

Agency, governments and nations: different views of society and progress

Pathways to participation as measures of progress

Part 1Part 1The Australian population: who’s The Australian population: who’s

growing old, whose growing growing old, whose growing young?young?

Australia: Growing old and growing young

Growing older Growing younger

Australian population Australian Aboriginal population

Population

(fertility rate)

20,561,00

(1.8)

419,600

(2.15)

Median age 36.6 years 20.5 years

Adult-to child ratio1

2.95 1.19

Life expectancy 78 years males

83 years females

59 years males

67 years females

Infant mortality rate

5.3 per 1000 10.6 per 1000

1Persons aged 18+ for every 0-17 year old

Growing older Growing younger

Australian population Australian Aboriginal population

Fetal growth restriction

11% 20%

Mental health morbidity for <18yo

17% 24%

Low academic competence

20% 58%

Retention to Year 12 school

75.7% 39.5%

1In Australia, 10 years of schooling has been compulsory

12.8

12

12

11

10

9

9

9

5

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia

Ethiopia

Senegal

Tanzania

Zimbabwe

Lebanon

Mexico

Indonesia

Non-Indigenous Australia

Australia and the global perspective: Low birth-weight

Low birth-weight babies per 1000 live births

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX RANKING, 2003HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX RANKING, 2003

HDI Rank Country HDI Score HDI Rank Country HDI Score

1 Norway .944 30 Republic of Korea .879

2 Iceland .942 Canadian Aboriginal Population .877

3 Sweden .941 32 Czech Republic .861

4 Australia .939 34 Argentina .849

5 Netherlands .938 U.S. Aborginal Population .847

6 Belgium .937 New Zealand Maori .842

7 United States .937 42 Costa Rica .831

8 Canada .937 43 Chile .831

9 Japan .932 52 Cuba .806

10 Switzerland .932 53 Belarus .804

13 United Kingdom .930 Canadian Registered Indian .802

16 Austria .929 54 Trinidad and Tobago .802

17 France .925 55 Mexico .800

19 Spain .925 103 Cape Verde .727

20 New Zealand .917 Australian Aboriginal Population .723

23 Portugal .896 104 China .721

Source: Cooke, Beavon and Guimond, 2004Source: Cooke, Beavon and Guimond, 2004

Australia and the global perspective

Part 2Part 2Agency, governments and Agency, governments and

nations: different views of society nations: different views of society and progressand progress

What the health sector sees (“silos”)

Physical health outcomes

(obesity, diabetes, cancer)(respiratory conditions)(cardiovascular disease)

Mental health outcomes

(depression/suicide)(ADHD)

(aggression)

What the education sector sees

Academic outcomes

(truancy)(early school leaving)

(alienation)

What agencies collectively see: What agencies collectively see: problems of human developmentproblems of human development

Physica l hea lth outcom esd iabetes, cancer

resp ira tory cond itionscard iovascu lar d isease

M enta l hea lth outcom esAD H D

depression/su ic ideaggression

R isk behaviour outcom essubstance use

early sexua l activ ityteen parenting

Academ ic outcom estruancy

early schoo l leavinga lienation

Socia l ou tcom esind iv idua ls in institu tions

ch ild ren in carecrim ina l behaviour

D eve lopm enta l ou tcom espoor a ttachm ent

poor cogn itive deve lopm entpoor speech and languag e

Prob lem s o f hum an deve lopm ent

What the government sees: What the government sees: participationparticipation

Participation

Economic Civic Social

Measuring and fostering progressMeasuring and fostering progress

Measures of the pathways to participation are worthy candidates for measure of the progress of societies and provide modifiable means to for fostering progress

Part 3Part 3 Pathways to participation as Pathways to participation as

measures of progressmeasures of progress

Healthy beliefs

and clear standards

Reduced exposure

to harmful drugs

Sense of self-efficacy & self-worth

Opportunities for achievement and recognition of accomplishments

Sense of social

connected-ness

Optimal brain development in utero and

early childhood

Genetic factors

Time

Responsive Parenting(i.e. appropriate care

stimulation and monitoring)

Effective self regulation of emotion, attention

& social interaction

Effective learning, communication &

problem solving skills

Healthy pregnancy,reduced maternal smoking, alcohol & drug misuse Healthy nutrition in utero & throughout childhood &

adolescence

Social and economic environments supportive to child rearing – especially absence of poverty and exposure to violence

Economic participation, civic participation, and

social participation

Positiveinteraction with peers

Availability of +ve adult role models & engaging

community activities

Academicsuccess & other

achievements

Positiveinteraction with adults

Pathways to Participation

Demographic variables

Indicators of developmental assets

Descriptions of contexts

Employment TimeHours in paid employmentHours for self

Job/no jobTime poor

Income IncomeTotal incomeFinancial strain

Cash poor

EducationMarital status

Human capitalFamily structureEducationPhysical health

Partner/no partnerKids/no kids

Psychological capitalMental healthParenting skills

Low control/high controlLow stress/high stress

RaceGenderAge Ethnicity

Social capitalSocial supportSocial exclusionParticipation

Social support/no social supportHigh mobility/low mobilityParticipation/no participationAccess/no access

0

10

20

30

40

Both 1 FT 1FT Both Both 1 Full 1 Pt 1 UE Both 1 FT 1FT Both Both 1 Full 1 Pt 1 UE FT l PT 1 home PT UE time time FT l PT 1 home PT UE time time

(96) (67) (48) (23) (0) (42) (16) (0) (Work Hrs)(96) (67) (48) (23) (0) (42) (16) (0) (Work Hrs) 4% 4% 3% 36% 46% 33% 84% 91% (Lowest family income)4% 4% 3% 36% 46% 33% 84% 91% (Lowest family income) 14% 7% 13% 12% 27% 9% 10% 25% (Low ed mother)14% 7% 13% 12% 27% 9% 10% 25% (Low ed mother) 9% 11% 10% 17% 12% 19% 26% 20% (Poor parent mental h.)9% 11% 10% 17% 12% 19% 26% 20% (Poor parent mental h.) 17% 17% 18% 10% 34% 16% 27% 26% (Family conflict)17% 17% 18% 10% 34% 16% 27% 26% (Family conflict) 11% 12% 15% 33% 41% 27% 25% 35% (Life events > 2)11% 12% 15% 33% 41% 27% 25% 35% (Life events > 2) 5% 5% 6% 3% 11% 1% 6% 8% (Coercive discipline)5% 5% 6% 3% 11% 1% 6% 8% (Coercive discipline) 12% 25% 31% 39% 47% 22% 37% 49% (Disadvantaged school)12% 25% 31% 39% 47% 22% 37% 49% (Disadvantaged school)

Couple families One parent families

Low academic competence

Mental health problems

11% 34% 25% 4% 5% 2% 4% 7% (Population of children)11% 34% 25% 4% 5% 2% 4% 7% (Population of children)

Family work arrangement

Human development is about participation

Participation is tied to the “resource mix” for development and support of specific social skills across the life course

Better measures of the “resource mix” are available for populations

Studies of the constituent parts of the social gradient offer opportunities for new descriptions of mechanisms that link these resources to significant health and developmental burdens and create opportunities for measuring and fostering the progress of societies

Conclusion