Media release
From: Curtin UniversityCulturally diverse WA kids face disadvantage from day one at school
Children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds are twice as likely to face developmental vulnerability in communication skills and general knowledge when starting school compared to their peers, according to new Curtin-led research.
The study, published in World Journal of Paediatrics, analysed outcomes for 59,925 Western Australian children and found culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children faced a 23 per cent higher risk of being behind in at least one developmental domain before they start school.
Lead author and PhD student Kendalem Atalell, from the Curtin School of Population Health, said the findings highlight a critical gap in early education and the urgent need for inclusive and targeted support.
“We know that people from CALD backgrounds living in Australia experience significant language barriers, economic hardship, housing instability and limited access to essential resources - all of which could be negatively associated with a child’s early development and wellbeing,” Mr Atalell said.
“Our research shows these children are falling behind before they even walk into a classroom - with approximately one in four CALD children facing challenges in at least one developmental domain including social, emotional, physical, cognitive and language.
“To address this, we need to intervene earlier. That means designing more inclusive policies, strengthening early childhood programs and giving all children fair access to support so every child can start school ready to succeed.”
Senior author Associate Professor Gizachew Tessema, also from the Curtin School of Population Health, said Australia’s cultural and linguistic diversity needs to be reflected in how we support children in their early years.
“Government, teachers and health professionals all need to understand the heightened risks these children face. By working together we can bridge early learning gaps and improve CALD student outcomes in the WA schooling system,” Associate Professor Tessema said.
“Given the disparities within the CALD community, future research should aim to identify specific population and cultural subgroups at increased risk of developmental vulnerability to inform the design of targeted and culturally tailored interventions.”
The paper was co-authored by researchers from the Curtin School of Population Health, Torrens University Australia, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
The full paper titled, ‘Developmental vulnerability in children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Western Australia: a population-based study,’ can be found online here.
Ends
