A National Children's Agenda: Measuring Child Well-being and Monitoring Progress

To invite Canadians to think about what they want for Canada's children, governments across Canada have published a paper called A National Children's Agenda --Developing a Shared Vision. It proposes a common vision for Canada's children and sets out the goals we hope to achieve in order to turn our vision into reality.

But turning a vision into reality demands that we find some meaningful yardsticks for success. We need to figure out how to measure the well-being of children. We must also agree to report regularly on our findings, so that we will know where we are making progress, and where we need to focus more attention.

And because federal, provincial and territorial governments already offer a wide range of programs and services for families and children, it makes sense to share information on what works and build on the successful experiences of governments and the non-governmental community.

A supplementary discussion paper, A National Children's Agenda -- Measuring Child Well-being and Monitoring Progress, suggests ways to measure the well-being of Canada's children and to monitor our progress in improving their lives. It also encourages us to share effective practices so that we can better realize our goals.

The Proposed Vision for a National Children's Agenda

• Canadians want their country to be one where all children thrive in an atmosphere of love, care and understanding, are valued as individuals in childhood and given opportunities to reach their full potential as adults.
• Respected and protected from harm, children will grow up to respect and protect the rights of others. Valued, nurtured and loved, they will grow up able to contribute to a society that appreciates diversity, supports the less able and shares its resources.
• Given the opportunity to develop their physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual capacities to their fullest, children will become tomorrow's successful and enthusiastic parents, caregivers, workers and citizens.

• Good Health - Children who are as physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy as they can be, with strong self-esteem, coping skills and enthusiasm.
• Safety and Security - Children whose basic needs are met, including food, shelter, clothing and transportation. Children who are protected from victimization, including abuse, neglect, discrimination, exploitation and dangerous environments, and who are given support by caring adults.
• Success at Learning - Children who have opportunities to reach their potential for physical and social development, language skills, literacy, numeracy and general knowledge. Children who are ready for learning throughout their lives so that they can develop the skills, knowledge and competencies they need for successful transition to adulthood.
• Social Engagement and Responsibility - Children who can form stable attachments to nurturing adults when they are young, and are able to develop strong, supportive relationships within and outside their families. Children who value the cultural heritage and diversity of others, and who develop an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of belonging to a wider society. Children who respect themselves and others, and understand the personal and social consequences of their choices.

Step One - Deciding what to measure

Governments talk of "indicators," which are simply things we can measure. There are essentially two categories of indicators to help us monitor whether we are achieving our goals: those that tell us about the child, and those that tell us about the surroundings that influence his or her well-being.

Examples of Indicators

About the child:

• Injuries and illnesses
• Behavioural problems
• Success at learning
• Social development

• Parenting
• Family economic security
• Learning environment
• Quality of housing
• Clean environment

 

• About important aspects of children's lives
• Understandable and meaningful
• Based on solid research
• Representative of the entire population, both girls and boys
• Measurable in a practical and economically feasible way
• Repeatable over time for easy comparison.

 

When it comes to monitoring our progress in achieving our goals for Canada's children, the sensible place to begin is with the wealth of data that already exists.

Existing Data Sources

• Census
• National surveys
• Various population health surveys

At the same time, we need to promote research into areas we know are not well understood. For example, we need better knowledge about the processes of child development. There are also too little data about the well-being of Aboriginal children.

Ways to Share Information

• Summary reports
• Interactive websites
• Canada-wide or regional forums

From universal health care and education to child protection, recreation programs, income supports and child care, governments in Canada already provide a wide range of services to children and their families.

In developing programs and policies for children, governments can learn from the experiences of others. That is why governments* want to explore ways to profile successful initiatives in their own and other jurisdictions, across a variety of sectors (such as health, justice, education and social services) and within the non-governmental community.

What's Next:

Governments* will be sitting down with key partners to encourage dialogue about the vision, values, goals and areas for action proposed for the National Children's Agenda. The purpose of the dialogue is to develop a strong vision for children by building common ground on what we as Canadians want for our children. At the end of the dialogue process, governments will incorporate the views of Canadians into a vision document and report back so that the vision can guide all of our efforts to improve the lives of Canada's children.

All Canadians are welcome to provide governments with their views on the National Children's Agenda. There are several ways to send in comments: in writing, at National Children's Agenda, 280 Albert Street, 10th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5G8.

Written comments can also be submitted through the interactive National Children's Agenda Web site at www.children-enfants.org.

Views can also be provided by calling 1-800-361-6392. The operators at this number can also provide information on public dialogue opportunities related to the National Children's Agenda in the provinces and territories.

*The Government of Quebec agrees with the objectives of the National Children's Agenda. However, the government of Quebec has decided not to participate in its development because it wishes to assume full control over programs aimed at families and children within its territory. Furthermore, the Government of Quebec has not signed the Social Union framework agreement. Consequently, any references to joint federal-provincial-territorial positions in this text do not include the Government of Quebec.