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Manitoba's kids on an upswing, research shows

By: Carol Sanders

Posted: 10/12/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Once dubbed the child poverty capital of Canada, Manitoba is making some improvements in children's health and social outcomes, research shows.

But kids from poor neighbourhoods are still much worse off than Manitoba's high-income offspring, says a study by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.

How Are Manitoba's Children Doing looked at almost all children 19 and under in the province from 2000 to 2010.

The study, published by the University of Manitoba's faculty of medicine, measured children's well-being in four areas: physical and emotional health, safety and security, education and social engagement and responsibility.

First, the good news: There's been a decrease in teen pregnancy and grade repetition and an increase in high school graduation.

The bad news is children from northern regions and lowest-income areas have the highest mortality rates, with injuries being the leading cause.

The rate of child deaths was more than three times higher in the lowest-income areas compared to the highest, said Dr. Marni Brownell, the study's lead author.

Children from low-income areas had higher rates of hospitalization and involvement with child welfare services and teen pregnancy.

Researchers found children from poor areas did worse in school. The highest percentage of children who performed poorly were from the lowest-income areas.

The study compared results from the Early Development Instrument, which measures vulnerabilities in children in kindergarten and outcomes for the same children in Grade 3. The more vulnerable they were in kindergarten, the less likely they were to meet expectations in Grade 3 math and reading.

One thing low-income kids had that higher-income kids didn't was a stronger chance of changing their outcomes -- for either better or worse, Brownell said in an interview.

A third of low-income kids will change their trajectories, the report found. One-fifth have a positive deflection and end up doing well, she said. Kids who arrive in kindergarten vulnerable can bounce back, Brownell said.

"That's pretty much what (our) program is about," said Linda Bruyere, with Aboriginal Head Start at the Andrews Street Family Centre. "It's about giving children a better start in school and a better chance of succeeding."

She's been with the program for two- to five-year-olds and their parents for 15 years and says she sees it working all the time.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Report card on our children

More than 40 per cent of deaths in children occur in the 20 per cent of the population in the lowest income quintile.

The teen pregnancy rate dropped from 52 per 1,000 to 47 per 1,000 -- a 10 per cent decrease.

There was a 20 per cent decrease in intentional injuries that required hospitalization.

In 2002-03, about 76 per cent of kids completed high school. In 2009-10 it was 82 per cent -- an increase of about seven per cent.

Hospital and physician visits decreased by more than 20 per cent from 2000-01 to 2009-10. Fewer trips to the doctor could mean children are getting healthier, that people are using health services more appropriately, or that children couldn't access services in a timely manner. More information is needed to interpret these findings, the study said.

-- source: How Are Manitoba's Children Doing

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 12, 2012 A5

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