Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the association between residential and neighbourhood characteristics of families and children and the latter's development, using data from the Montréal Survey on the Preschool Experiences of Children in Kindergarten (MSPECK). METHOD: A sample of 1101 children was extracted from a survey frame that included Montréal children assessed in the 2012 Québec Survey of Child Development in Kindergarten (2012 QSCDK). Data collected from the children's parents were used to document the following residential and neighbourhood characteristics (independent variables): material deprivation in the neighbourhood, housing health, residential crowding, housing instability, neighbourhood safety, and access to resources. Linking QSCDK data provided a measure of development for children in kindergarten (dependent variable). Logistic regression was used to predict the probability of kindergarten children being vulnerable in at least one domain of development, or in two or more domains. RESULTS: Children living in neighbourhoods perceived to be dangerous are 1.5 times more likely to be vulnerable in at least one domain of development, compared with their peers living in neighbourhoods perceived to be safe (95% CI: 1.02-2.14). A similar result is observed for vulnerability in two or more domains of development (OR 1.67; 95% CI: 1.07-2.61). Children living in families who lack access to resources are also more likely to be vulnerable in two or more domains of development than their peers in families who have easy access to resources (OR 1.56; 95% CI: 1.003-2.44). CONCLUSION: Parents' feelings of insecurity and lack of access to local resources can limit children's opportunities for socialization and their exposure to enriching experiences.