Action is the only remedy to indifference, the most insidious danger of all.
– Elie Weisel, Night
Elie Weisel Quote
Posted on February 25, 2014
Topic: News and Publications
It Pays to Invest in Children
Posted on February 25, 2014
Growing numbers of Canadians are living with their parents into their twenties—51 percent, according to a 2011 article in Maclean’s magazine – yet youth aging out of the care of the child welfare system are expected to make their own way in the world with no support by the time they turn 18.
According to Success for All, a new report from the Conference Board of Canada, there are a lot of these youth: nearly 2,300 a year. They are vulnerable to mental health problems. They are less likely than other Canadian kids to finish school or find good jobs. And they are more likely to require social assistance throughout their adult lives.
While the report acknowledges that “investing in the education and mental health of children in foster care is costly,” it concludes, “the long-term economic and financial returns on such an investment are considerable. With better education and mental health, young adults are more likely to find employment and earn higher wages.”
By providing supports to these youth transitioning into adulthood, Canada stands to close a $747 million economic gap, businesses stand to grow the pool of productive workers, and governments stand to build their tax base while reducing their social expenditures.
As the report makes clear, the moral argument for helping these youth should be powerful enough on its own. The numbers just lend that argument extra weight—and make the outcome of taking action measurable.
Success for All – Children in Care
Prepared by the Conference Board of Canada.
Helping Kids in Foster Care Build Healthy Attachments (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, May 2018)
Three Principles to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families (Harvard University, October 2017)
Child Well Being – Rich Countries Comparative Overview (UNICEF, 2017)
Feathers of Hope: A First Nations Youth Action Plan
Posted on February 22, 2014
Today, simultaneous events were held in Ottawa at Parliament Hill, Toronto at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and in Thunder Bay to present Feathers of Hope: A First Nations Youth Action Plan to local, provincial, federal and First Nations leaders.
We hope that you will take the time to review our Action Plan to hear what we have to say about improving the conditions in our communities to create safer and healthier futures for First Nations children and youth.
Please help us spread the word about the Feathers of Hope First Nations Youth Action Plan! You can read and share our action plan, invite us to meet with you, your organization or community to talk about the report and most importantly, make a commitment to take action!
For all the event coverage, and to keep up to date on what we’re doing next, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. As always, if you have any questions, please e-mail us directly at FOH@provincialadvocate.on.ca or visit our web page at http://provincialadvocate.on.
Pour toute question, veuillez nous envoyer un courriel directement àFOH@provincialadvocate.on.ca ou visitez notre site Web à l’adressehttp://provincialadvocate.on.
Thanks for your continued support!
Uko Abara, Samantha Crowe, Julaine Trudeau, Kathryn Morris
Youth Leaders, Feathers of Hope
Richard Branson Quote
Posted on February 14, 2014
In the past, the most powerful people in society were in religion and members of government. In the last 50 years, it’s swung to business people being the most powerful and therefore I think enormous responsibility goes with this. They might think they should just carry on and make money, but they can also use their entrepreneurial skills to sort out the world’s problems.
– Richard Branson, Globe and Mail
The Children Left Behind
Posted on February 13, 2014
A league table of inequality in child well-being in the world’s rich countries.
Recommendations for Canada from the UN
Posted on February 13, 2014
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (the CRC Committee) is a group of experts who examine countries to see how well they are protecting the human rights of children. In September 2012, the CRC Committee reviewed Canada to see how well the Government of Canada is protecting the rights of children. The CRC Committee did a lot of research about Canada. They read reports and met with children’s rights groups from Canada and with government representatives to get a better understanding of how Canada can improve on fulfilling the human rights of children.
This document is a summary of the recommendations (Concluding Observations) that the CRC Committee has made for the Government of Canada to make sure that all children in Canada under the age of 18 have all the rights listed in the Convention.
Raising Expectations
Posted on February 12, 2014
Families are the heart and soul of our society. They help give children – the next generation – the best start and provide support as they move through life. Strong families help build strong communities, a prosperous economy and a more secure future.
Ontarians build their families in different ways. Many – including heterosexual couples, same-sex couples, and single people – use adoption and assisted reproduction services. But barriers like cost, lack of information, system weaknesses, location, work constraints and stigma, prevent many Ontarians from accessing these services and keep many children waiting to be adopted.
Raising Expectations
Recommendations of the Expert Panel on Infertility and Adoption.
Realizing a Sustainable Child Welfare System in Ontario
Posted on February 12, 2014
Children hold a special place in our society. They evoke in us our most basic instincts to nurture and protect. We want them to grow up healthy, happy and safe and emerge from childhood as confident young adults who will, in turn, nurture their own children.
Our society takes seriously the need to have systems and institutions in place that will promote the development and well‐being of children. At the heart of these structures lie the family and the community. Families are supported by more formal systems and structures – schools, health care and recreation. Organizations that safeguard children from abuse and neglect are at the outermost edge of the spectrum.
Realizing a Sustainable Child Welfare System in Ontario
A comprehensive and achievable Sustainability Strategy for realizing the goal of a sustainable, modernized and self‐improving child welfare system.
Adopting.org
Posted on January 26, 2014
Capitalism quote
Posted on January 11, 2014
Capitalism will solve the world’s greatest problems – not charity alone.
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