Does social capital flatten the social gradient in early childhood development? An ecological study of two provinces in Canada

Social capital is thought to buffer the negative effects of low income on health and thereby flatten social gradient. Child development research has suggested that networks adults children in a neighborhood may play protective role children’s outcomes. Yet little known about how this relationship applies diverse developmental outcomes early childhood. This study examines whether presence model willingness neighbors help keep safe moderates between five for kindergarten: (1) physical well-being, (2) competence, (3) emotional maturity, (4) language cognitive development, (5) communication general knowledge. We linked neighborhood-level data child from two Canadian provinces, British Columbia (BC, n = 100) Ontario (n 482), Kindergarten Parent Survey, BC Capital Study; 2006 Census. Multiple regression analyses were conducted examine main interaction relation In Ontario, higher levels associated with better all domains. Similar trends observed BC. Higher flattened gradient both competence Ontario. Implications practice are discussed.