The sustained benefits of investing in early childhood development are well documented. Effective early childhood policies and programmes are key to producing a competitive, creative and healthy future workforce in Hong Kong as the city strives to become a knowledge-based economy and a hub for innovation. To date, however, there is no comprehensive and representative large-scale database tracking the development of preschoolers in Hong Kong that can be used to guide early childhood research, policies, and programmes.
The Hong Kong CHILD Development Longitudinal Study (HK-CHILD) is the first city-representative early childhood longitudinal study in Hong Kong and aims to provide a comprehensive picture of young children’s development in the SAR and the factors that shape it. The study will follow the development of a representative sample of approximately 3,000 preschool-aged children for three consecutive years as they progress through kindergarten from Kindergarten Level 1 (K1) to Kindergarten Level 3 (K3), focusing particularly on their holistic development, emotional and behavioral status, and physical health. Data will also be collected on children’s family and home environments, classrooms, and schools to better understand the contextual factors that promote early developmental outcomes.
High-quality evidence on early childhood development in Hong Kong will serve as a strong foundation for informing policies and services pertaining to child health and well-being, early childhood education, family dynamics, and social welfare. The insights derived from HK-CHILD will also serve as an invaluable resource for parents, caregivers, and educators to support and promote the positive development of children.
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