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Early childhood is a critical period for growth and development, with long-term impacts on health, learning outcomes and overall well-being. Experiences during this time shape children’s physical, social and emotional development and influence outcomes across the life course.
Understanding early child development provides insight into children’s readiness for school and their ability to succeed in social and learning environments. Learn about indicators related to early child health and development in Niagara to inform local planning and health promotion efforts.
The Early Development Instrument measures children’s developmental outcomes as a health‑related concept and evaluates how well children are meeting age‑appropriate expectations across five key domains:
Physical health and well-being
Children’s physical readiness for school and motor skills
Social competence
Children’s social skills and interactions, including their ability to cooperate, show respect and engage with others
Emotional maturity
Children’s prosocial and helping behaviours, and capacity to manage emotions in age‑appropriate ways
Language and cognitive development
Children’s literacy and numeracy skills, reading and memory
Communication and general knowledge
Children’s ability to communicate in social settings, use language and understand the world around them
In 2023, 31.9 per cent of children in Niagara are vulnerable on at least one domain, and 16.0 per cent are vulnerable on two or more. The Physical Health and Well‑Being domain has the highest vulnerability, with 19.1 per cent of children in Niagara identified as vulnerable.
| Domain | % Vulnerable | Trend |
| Physical health and well-being | 19.1% | Significant increase 2015–2018; no change 2018–2023 |
| Emotional maturity | 14.0% | No change 2015–2023 |
| Communication and general knowledge | 11.0% | Significant increase 2018–2023 |
| Social competence | 10.3% | Significant decrease 2018–2023 |
| Language and cognitive development | 7.3% | No change 2015–2023 |
Up 2.4 points since 2015
Down 2.1 points since 2015
Down 0.3 points since 2015
Down 0.6 points since 2015
Up 1.7 points since 2015
A higher percentage means more children are vulnerable in that area.
Healthy teeth, even at a very early age, are an essential part of overall health. Oral health can affect the functional, psychological and social dimensions of a child's well-being. Oral pain can have devastating effects on children, including lost sleep, poor growth and learning.
Down 1.2 points since 2021-2022.
Data are based on the most recent available sources and may be updated as new information becomes available. Data are subject to change without notice.
Data Source: Early Development Instrument, Niagara Region, 2008-2023
The Early Development Instrument (EDI) is completed by senior kindergarten teachers for each child in the classroom. EDI data is collected from publicly funded school boards only (English Public, English Catholic, French Public, French Catholic). Children who have identified/diagnosed special needs are not included in the data used for this analysis.
Data Source: Oral Health Information Support System (OHISS) [2021-2026]
Note: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted dental school screening. Screening was completely paused in 2020 and did not resume until March 2022.
In the 2025 to 2026 school year, in Niagara, 34.8 per cent of elementary school students screened with one or more decayed, missing, or filled tooth. The proportion remains around the same since the 2021 to 2022 school year.
In the 2025 to 2026 school year, in Niagara 9.6 per cent of elementary school students have active decay. The proportion remains around the same since the 2021 to 2022 school year. Younger children are more vulnerable for tooth decay compared to older age groups as 14.1 per cent of kindergarten students and 11.6 per cent of grade two students screened positive for active tooth decay in the 2025 to 2026 school year
Overall, Niagara Region Public Health conducts oral health school screening in compliance with the Oral Health Protocol for grades JK, SK, 2, 4, and 7 among all schools within Niagara. However, during the 2022-2023 school year, all students in all grades at all publicly funded schools were screened. Additionally, each year, mobile schools are selected, and at mobile schools all grades are screened. Changes to screening strategy in each year may impact overall findings.
Last updated: July 2026
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