800A census approach to monitoring child development - informing policy and practice beyond survey samples

Abstract

Abstract Background The Sustainable Development Agenda calls for population monitoring of children’s development. A census approach, as implemented in Pacific Island Countries (PICs), offers advantages beyond nationally representative survey samples in informing local policy and practice. Methods A census approach was employed in Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu to collect information from caregivers and teachers on the development of every child aged 3-5 years. Funded by the Global Partnership for Education through the Pacific Early Age Readiness and Learning Program, data were collected from 2013-17 using the early Human Capability Index (eHCI), a population measure of holistic child development. Results Locally, whole-of-country data collection in Kiribati (n = 8339), Samoa (n = 12191), Tonga (n = 6214), and Tuvalu (n = 549) enabled empowerment and mobilisation of communities to support children’s development through use of their own data. Nationally, a census approach provided reliable information on the magnitude of inequality within and across populations, understanding of development amongst sub-populations and minority groups, and the interplay between geographic and socioeconomic position and children’s development, together, highlighting what was working well and where extra supports were needed. Conclusions In PICs, information collected through implementation of the eHCI national census was able to inform a progressive universalist approach to policy and service delivery, including provision of the right mix of universal and targeted services needed to support populations. Key messages A census approach to monitoring child development can inform policy and practice in ways not otherwise possible via survey sampling, particularly in contexts where population estimates and weighting are not available/accurate.