Assessing the Spatial Structure of the Association between Attendance at
  Preschool and Childrens Developmental Vulnerabilities in Queensland Australia
wala Draidi Areed Aiden Price Kathryn Arnett Helen Thompson Reid Malseed Kerrie Mengersen
The research explores the influence of preschool attendance (one year before
full-time school) on the development of children during their first year of
school. Using data collected by the Australian Early Development Census, the
findings show that areas with high proportions of preschool attendance tended
to have lower proportions of children with at least one developmental
vulnerability. Developmental vulnerablities include not being able to cope with
the school day (tired, hungry, low energy), unable to get along with others or
aggressive behaviour, trouble with reading/writing or numbers. These findings,
of course, vary by region. Using Data Analysis and Machine Learning, the
researchers were able to identify three distinct clusters within Queensland,
each characterised by different socio-demographic variables influencing the
relationship between preschool attendance and developmental vulnerability.
These analyses contribute to understanding regions with high vulnerability and
the potential need for tailored policies or investments