BC Council for Families

 While children may move from one neighbourhood to another with their family, time spent in poorer neighbourhoods has lasting effects. UBC’s Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) has recently completed a study of the long-term effects on learning for kindergarten age children residing in neighbourhoods with various income levels. By grade 7, the difference between children raised in high and low income neighbourhoods was apparent in their reading comprehension skills.

Researchers attribute these disparities to the difference in support children have while they are learning. Access to good schools, libraries, after-school programs and bookstores depends on neighbourhood income level. The quality of support children have while learning also depends on the resources available to parents, educators, family friends and community members.

Jennifer Lloyd of HELP remarks, "Sadly, our findings demonstrate the lasting effect of neighbourhood poverty on children's reading comprehension - highlighting that children's literacy is not simply an important issue for parents, but also for community leaders and policy makers alike."