The initial findings presented here, along with the many findings in the other research papers in this publication, should begin to shed light on which factors are the most influential inside the "black box" of child development. However, it must be cautioned that as useful as the findings from this first release are, they still represent only a snapshot for 1994-1995 - albeit the best snapshot of children and youth we have ever had.
Cross-sectional snapshots are limited to telling us which environmental conditions were associated with certain outcomes at the time of the survey. We do not know how long they were present or how long they will persist. For instance, two children of similar age may be living in two different low-income households today, but they may exhibit different outcomes (e.g., school readiness, motor and social skills). One child may have been in a low-income family for only a year, while the other may have been poor for many years. The snapshot does not reveal this - and what tomorrow will bring for either child is, as yet, unknown.
The power of the NLSCY is that it will allow us to turn this static snapshot into a "video." To continue the example above, the NLSCY will let us follow these two children for years so we can study how low income and other influences are affecting their development. If these children escape from the adverse influences of poverty, we can examine which protective factors contributed to that escape: the type of child care, friendships, parenting, family structure and so forth. Only then will we obtain a better look inside the "black box" of child development.
Until we start accumulating this evidence from the NLSCY, there will continue to be controversy about how childhood experiences influence later life. Some researchers focus on biological and genetic conditions or discrete events - typically in a child's early life - that produce a lasting impact. This type of approach suggests that highly targeted interventions during critical periods in a child's development are the most effective in ensuring the long-term well-being of children. Others emphasize the cumulative effect of life events along a child's developmental pathway. The socioeconomic status of a child's parents, for instance, influences the relative health of their newborn, which in turn affects the child's level of school readiness and so on.XXVIII
The NLSCY will provide a vantage point from which to enter these debates. It will help us evaluate the challenges and opportunities that face children and families, and it will be a stimulus of public debate and action to ensure that all children in Canada lead happy and productive lives.
What's New
