The MDI was developed via a partnership among individuals at the Vancouver School Board, the United Way of the Lower Mainland, and the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) of the University of British Columbia (UBC) to collect population-level information on children. [...] The MDI is a child self-report survey that gathers information from children on their social and emotional development, physical health and well-being, relationships and connectedness with parents, school and neighbourhood adults, and peers, school experiences, and how they spend their time during the after-school hours. [...] Rather than evaluating how children perform academically, This report represents a collaborative ef- the MDI gives children a voice, an op- fort to systematically collect and share portunity to communicate to adults in information from children in middle schools and communities about what childhood, link results of the MDI to their experiences are inside and outside existing research, and provide [...] Supportive relationships and child health and The Importance of Relationships and Connectedness – with adults well-being Attachment theory Finding Children were asked on the MDI to tell Attachment, support, and nurturance us about their experiences of support within the family are the primary Connectedness to adults and peers, in the from and connection with adults in their forces that promote pos [...] On the other end of the spec- percentage points higher than the runner- On the MDI, children reported on a num- trum are neighbourhoods in which 10- up, Saskatchewan (Campaign 2000; 2009 ). ber of habits related to their nutrition and 15% of the children reported they eat Also, research in Canada as well as in the sleep.
