National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth

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The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) is a long-term study by Statistics Canada that follows Canadian children as they grow from birth to early adulthood. It is run with help from Human Resources and Social Development Canada and aims to identify the factors that influence a child’s development. The study looks at emotional, social and behavioural development, health, learning, family and friend networks, and the school and community a child grows up in. Data are collected every two years, and the project began in 1994. The information helps inform policy decisions about education funding, university financial aid, health and family support, and education reform.

The survey targeted children under 11 at the start and living in Canada’s 10 provinces. It did not include children on Indian reserves or Crown lands, children in institutions, children of full-time Canadian Forces members, or some children in remote areas. The project has not been active since 2009.

How it worked: each cycle collected data for about a year. Participation was voluntary and involved four measurements. The first three were surveys about the child, given to three respondents: the child’s most knowledgeable caregiver (the “child” report), the other parent or spouse (the “adult” report), and the child themselves (the “youth” report). A fourth measurement was a cognitive test covering math and other subjects. Depending on age, children completed different tests: ages 12–16 did a self‑reported questionnaire, ages 16–17 did a problem‑solving task, ages 18–19 did a literacy test, and ages 20–21 did a numeracy test.

Critics note that because participation was voluntary and some groups were excluded, the survey may not represent all Canadian children. This means policymakers might miss trends among those groups.