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The report card is the culmination of data collected over a period of three years. The organization is already collecting data for its next report card. This report is based on 111,940 individuals between infancy and 18 years of age, based on 2006 census data -- a number that has since grown. Mary Tabak, developmental assets project manager, gave visitors an overview of what developmental assets are. She told the gathering there are 40 critical factors for a child to succeed, based on research conducted by the Search Institute in the U.S. "The more assets the children have, the more likely they are to succeed," she said. She said a child with fewer Continued from page 1 Youths' success tied to developmental assets developmental assets is more likely to engage in high-risk behaviour such as smoking cigarettes, marijuana, consuming alcohol, or engaging in bullying or sexual activity. Further, the Search Institute said developmental assets are a more accurate measure than poverty levels for high-risk behaviour, Tabak said. These assets change, based on a child's age, and they are broken down into eight groups. The first four are external assets: support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time. The other four are commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies and positive identity. She said she has learned that if a person working with youths provides the first four asset groups well, the latter four follow. She said problems arise when children have too few developmental assets. In Halton, the average child has approximately 18 developmental assets -- such as family support, safety, adult role models, play and creative activities. Boys tend to have slightly fewer developmental assets available to them. She said for organizations working with children, there is no quick-fix developmental asset however, having knowledge of these developmental assets, allows organizations to shift the way they work with children. "The theory is simple, the road map is simple and what we have to do is clear,' she said. There are 32 developmental asset trainers available in Halton through the Our Kids Network, free of charge to community organizations. The report card was presented by Shelley Lothian, a member of the research and evaluation committee for the Kids Network, who is a senior research advisor with Halton Region, and Erica van Roosmalen, research committee chair, and chief research officer at the Halton Catholic District School Board. The report indicates that in all communities in Halton, as children age the less likely they are to eat breakfast. However, it also states that children with more developmental assets available to them are more likely to eat breakfast. "The more developmental assets a child has, the more likely they are to eat breakfast daily," Lothian said. The report indicates similar results for other areas as well. All students with 17 or more assets reported having high levels of school engagement, whereas 30 per cent or less of youths with five or fewer assets reported high levels of school engagement. Similar trends are indicated for those receiving positive peer influence. To a lesser extent, but still noticeable, such trends can be seen in areas such as participation in youth programs, being developmentally vulnerable, being bullied, skip- 9 · Friday, April 13, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com ping class and more. Children with more developmental assets are likely to have parental involvement at their school -- the same result indicated for children from higher income families. The report card breaks down individual communities (eight in Oakville), which van Roosmalen said can make the data more meaningful and confirm issues for an area. The report does not say why something is happening, but said organizations can use this data for their work and for grant applications. The full report can be seen at www.ourkidsnetwork.ca. For a list of developmental assets, visit www.search-institute.org. Sore Feet, Sports Injury, Painful Ingrown Toenails? Plantar Warts? We can help! Exceptional footcare for all ages. · Routine footcare · Corns & calluses · Plantar warts · Heel/arch/foot pain · Diabetic footcare and education · Thick or ingrown nails · Nail surgery · Sports related foot problems & injuries · Custom made orthotics · Sigvaris® compression stockings · Evenings and saturday appointments available · New patients welcome! J. Richard Werkman CHIROPODIST Visit our website, subscribe to our Blog or call for an appointment. 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