Assessing the Spatial Structure of the Association between Attendance at Preschool and Childrens Developmental Vulnerabilities in Queensland Australia
This research addresses early childhood development disparities for policymakers in Queensland, but it is incremental as it applies existing methods to new regional data.
The study investigated the impact of preschool attendance on developmental vulnerabilities in children's first school year in Queensland, Australia, finding that areas with higher preschool attendance had lower proportions of children with at least one developmental vulnerability, with variations identified across three distinct regional clusters.
The research explores the influence of preschool attendance (one year before full-time school) on the development of children during their first year of school. Using data collected by the Australian Early Development Census, the findings show that areas with high proportions of preschool attendance tended to have lower proportions of children with at least one developmental vulnerability. Developmental vulnerablities include not being able to cope with the school day (tired, hungry, low energy), unable to get along with others or aggressive behaviour, trouble with reading/writing or numbers. These findings, of course, vary by region. Using Data Analysis and Machine Learning, the researchers were able to identify three distinct clusters within Queensland, each characterised by different socio-demographic variables influencing the relationship between preschool attendance and developmental vulnerability. These analyses contribute to understanding regions with high vulnerability and the potential need for tailored policies or investments