Investigators
Yasmin Harman-Smith, Tess Gregory, Angela Kinnell
Project description
There is growing international evidence about the growing gap in educational outcomes between boys and girls. This trend appears to be evident in South Australian and national data. To date, little has been undertaken to document this trend in South Australia, understand the trajectories of boys as compared with girls, identify the drivers of these developmental pathways and identify potential strategies for intervention.
The Department for Education commissioned this report to understand how such gender differences in early childhood may influence outcomes later in life.
The results of the 2009 Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) highlighted large differences between South Australian boys and girls in child development outcomes at school entry.
The report includes gender differences in education, health and social circumstances across the life-course. Knowledge of this evidence base is crucial if we are to improve outcomes for all children and young people and reduce inequity.
This project was undertaken when Institute researchers Yasmin Harman-Smith, Tess Gregory, and Angela Kinnell formed part of the Fraser Mustard Centre, a previous collaboration between researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia and policy makers at the South Australian Department for Education, aimed to improve research translation.
For further information about the project and its findings, contact Yasmin Harman-Smith.
External collaborators
Sally Brinkman (University of South Australia), David Engelhardt, Samuel Luddy (South Australian Department for Education)
Funders of the project
Department for Education, South Australia