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March 27, 2001
The Progress of Canada's Children:
the good news and the bad news
Ottawa - There is good news and bad news in this year's report on Canadian children released today by the Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD). While most of Canada's school-aged children are doing better than they have in the past, there is a growing danger of social exclusion facing many school-aged children, particularly in the areas of recreation and special education.
This fifth edition of The Progress of Canada's Children - the most comprehensive annual review of how our children are faring - focuses on school-aged children and contains many heartening findings on how the majority of children in this age group are doing. For example, death rates from injuries are lower, more children are staying in school and more are enjoying access to computer technology.
"Overall, our children are doing well. However, new CCSD research also shows that the rifts are widening in Canadian society," said Marcel Lauzière, Executive Director of the CCSD. "Our research confirms that the gaps are widening between the majority of children who reap the benefits of full participation in their communities and those at risk of being excluded and falling behind."
"Our national survey of 167 municipal recreation departments across the country showed that just when children reach the stage in their lives when they rely more heavily on community services and activities - such as athletics, aquatics and arts programs - these programs are becoming more costly," said Louise Hanvey, Project Director of Progress 2001. "Evidence shows that rates of participation in supervised sports are lower for children in low-income families and higher for children in high-income families."
Another worrisome trend is brought to light by the latest CCSD research on special education in Canada. This involves children who have special needs including physical disabilities or emotional disturbances and who require special educational services. The vast majority of experts surveyed from regions across Canada reported inadequate funding to meet the special education needs of children in their jurisdictions, especially in rural areas.
Progress 2001 tracks social and economic indicators in a number of areas affecting the lives of Canadian children at home, at school and in their neighbourhoods. Some additional worrisome trends noted in this year's report include:
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Increasing user fees that create barriers to participation in quality recreation - a strong predictor of children's outcomes.
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The rise in education costs for such things as textbooks, school supplies, tuition and other school fees meant that low-income families increased their spending on these items by 107%, from an average of $238 per year in 1992 to $493 per year in 1998.
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There is a "digital divide" on the home front in Canada, with access to computers linked to income.
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Canada's income gap is widening: The most affluent households increased their income by $20,000 between 1993 and 1998, while those at the bottom of the income ladder lost just under $1,000 over the same period. Poverty has devastating effects on children and their development.
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Families are finding it increasingly difficult to access safe and affordable housing, which is strongly associated with positive outcomes for children.
Governments have made progress in addressing some of these negative trends. While the CCSD applauds government initiatives in such areas as early childhood development, income support and youth employment, there is still much work to be done.
"What is particularly worrisome at this time - with the threat of an economic downturn - is that governments might drop the ball on the social investment front. We are seeing trends in our child and youth populations that need to be reversed, trends that would only be aggravated by a return to stringent belt-tightening," said Lauzière.
The CCSD agrees with the approach put forward by the Prime Minister in his recent response to the Speech from the Throne - that "in the 21st century, our economic and social goals must be pursued hand-in-hand". In that same speech, the Prime Minister committed his government to establishing an "investment timetable that will allow us to make real progress in ensuring opportunity for all of Canadian children".
"The Canadian Council on Social Development is calling on all governments to make that investment timetable a reality. We need to build on the National Children's Agenda and take it beyond early childhood development, to create a national, coherent approach to providing supports for children of all age groups," said Lauzière.
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Progress of Canada's Children 2001 - Related Material
Canadian Council on Social Development,
190 O'Connor Street, Suite 100,
Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2R3
Tel: (613) 236-8977, Fax: (613) 236-2750, Web: www.ccsd.ca, Email: council@ccsd.ca
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