Health experts in British Columbia have launched a new online resource for parents and caregivers, responding to alarming research showing a record-high decline in the social and developmental health of young children across the province.
Record-High Developmental Challenges in Kindergarteners
One in three children in B.C. is now entering kindergarten with challenges in one or more core areas of development. This troubling statistic, the highest ever recorded in the province, comes from a study released last month by the Human Early Learning Partnership at the University of British Columbia's School of Population and Public Health.
The research highlights a growing crisis in early childhood health, prompting immediate action from provincial health leaders. In response, a coalition of experts has designed a free, accessible e-learning program to support families.
A Free, Flexible Resource for Stressed Families
The new online series is a key part of the Feelings First campaign, an initiative by Child Health B.C. and the B.C. Healthy Child Development Alliance that began in 2021. The program is available at feelingsfirst.ca and is designed with busy parents in mind.
The entire series can be completed in about two hours, or parents can work through it in smaller, manageable segments. It guides caregivers through common scenarios they face with children from infancy up to six years old, providing practical strategies to foster healthy social-emotional development at home.
Addressing the Root Causes: Stress, Screens, and Sleep
Dr. Linda Uyeda, a Metro Vancouver family physician specializing in social-emotional development, explains that the program is timely. She notes that families are under increasing strain from various pressures, with financial stress being a significant contributor.
"When parents are stressed, so are their kids," said Dr. Uyeda. "Economic insecurity and other pressures can make it hard for parents to communicate in ways that build healthy social-emotional learning."
Beyond financial worries, experts point to other key factors in the developmental decline:
- Increased screen time and social media use.
- Reduced sleep. Dr. Uyeda notes that school-aged children are now getting, on average, one hour less sleep than children did thirty years ago.
Social and emotional development is foundational, affecting how children build emotional intelligence, interact with others, and learn to cope with stress and build resilience.
The new e-program aims to cut through the noise of online information. "We wanted to fill a gap... parents need reliable information," Dr. Uyeda stated, confirming that the content was developed by leading scientists, educators, and physicians in the field of early child development.
This initiative represents a direct effort to equip B.C. parents with the tools they need to support their children's crucial early years, especially as many families navigate considerable external stressors.
