Since 1989 child poverty in Nova Scotia decreased by less than one percent. One in four kids lives in poverty, for kids younger than 2 years, that is one in three! Let that sink in. And numbers for African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaw kids are much higher again.
Media release: “When a child is hungry; when they aren’t sure where home will be at the end of the day; when they don’t have adequate clothing; it’s very hard for them to focus on learning,” says Wozney. “The evidence is clear that on average, children living in poverty experience worse academic outcomes and are twice as likely to drop out of school. They also have a much higher chance of developing a mental health issue.”
A letter from a substitute teacher somewhere in rural Nova Scotia. “A hungry stomach accentuates resentment and a sense of frustration; why worry about equations when your stomach is grumbling or you can feel the wind tug on your sweater, climb down your spine with every breeze?”
Nova Scotia leads the country in the shameful categories of share of the population living in poverty and share of children living in poverty. In fact, child poverty increased in Nova Scotia in 2017. Canada-wide however, poverty stats declined substantially. What’s going on?
A recently published report shows that incomes for people on welfare in Nova Scotia are terribly insufficient, and on a downward trajectory. They are also by and large the lowest in Canada.
Media release: The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW) is advocating for the creation of a Child and Youth Advocate office to protect and promote the rights of Nova Scotia children and youth with their campaign launched today called Child Youth Advocate NS.
A quick note about yet another report on child poverty in Canada and Nova Scotia. All Nova Scotia federal ridings are above the national average, except the suburban riding of Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook.
Poverty activist and Income Assistance recipient Tim Blades on poverty in Nova Scotia. “I speak from experience that when you speak up, you can open eyes to what is going on and embolden others to speak up as well. To have such poverty in Nova Scotia is unconscionable. It’s time for a change. It’s 2018.”
A new CCPA report takes a very close look at the sad picture of child poverty in Halifax. It contains information you likely didn’t know about your community or neighborhood. For instance, Spryfield has a child poverty rate of 40%, and in rural Nova Scotia North Preston (40%), East Preston (38.9), and Sheet Harbour (26.1%) lead the pack. Meanwhile, Fall RIver has a child poverty rate of a mere 3.9%.
Recent changes to the Child and Family Service Act have made the fight against child poverty even more difficult, writes Alec Stratford, executive director of the NS College of Social Workers. Shortened judicial timelines, the expansion of the definition of neglect and the overall lack of resources have amounted to greater penalization of families struggling to afford the cost of housing, food, childcare, clothing and transportation.
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