Survey: 81% of Quebecers consider the proportion of young children who are vulnerable when starting school to be “unacceptable”
MONTREAL, August 22, 2016 - A recent survey for the Early Childhood Observatory has revealed that the proportion of children who are vulnerable when they start kindergarten-one out of four-is considered to be "unacceptable" by 81% of Quebecers. Moreover, 91% of respondents feel it is important that society place greater priority on the welfare and development of children between the ages of 0 and 5. The survey also showed that almost nine out of ten Quebecers support increased investment in early childhood.
Conducted by Léger, this survey of 1,501 respondents between July 12 and 26, 2016 was a follow-up to the Observatory's first dialogue event held last May. During this event, some 700 stakeholders from various sectors (elected municipal officials, early childhood educators and caregivers, representatives of professional orders, scientists, etc.) identified a series of measures that could reduce the development gap that exists between children from the most privileged environments (one out of five) and their peers from the most disadvantaged environments (one out of three) when they start kindergarten.
