A comprehensive report card was released today on the implementation of the 1993 provincial Youth Report, Youth, Families and Communities: A New Paradigm for Action.
The Youth Report was a joint initiative of government and the community to reorganize the delivery of programs and services to put the needs of children and youth first.
Work began in 1994 at the provincial and community levels to implement the recommendations. The report card, released today by Health and Social Services Minister Mildred Dover and Education Minister Chester Gillan, documents this work from 1994 to 1996.
Health and Social Services Minister Dover said the report card outlines the progress of various health/education/community initiatives in nine goal areas to support children and youth in areas such as Foster Care, Family Violence Prevention, Child Sexual Abuse, Alternative Education, Crisis Assistance, Family Strengthening, Child Welfare, and Residential Services.
"We have prepared the report to document for the public the progress of the 71 of the 73 recommendations which have now been fully or partially implemented, and to provide benchmarks which will enable us to measure our progress and continue to be accountable to the public we serve. We would like to thank the many Islanders who have contributed to this success and have helped make the Island one of the best places in Canada to raise children," said Ms. Dover.
The report card uses a statistical summary to provide a snapshot of how Island families are coping. It outlines the future direction of the Child and Youth Initiative, and summarizes the progress of the twenty projects approved in 1996-1997 under the Child and Youth Initiative Fund, such as the InterCity Youth Connection, West Prince Student Support Services, the Provincial Youth Action Council and the East Prince Adolescent Addictions project.
The progress made has been based on better utilizing existing resources and forming effective partnerships with communities and interest groups throughout Prince Edward Island," said Ms. Dover. "This will continue to be our approach as we work within the resources already available to us."
Leadership for the initiative was jointly provided by the Departments of Health and Social Services and Education. Education Minister Chester Gillan indicated the report card outlines many further opportunities for governments and communities to work together to meet their collective responsibility for the care of children and youth. "Three of the four priorities of our government are to provide quality health services, a quality education system, and to build stronger communities," said Mr. Gillan. "To do so, we must begin by making our most precious resource, our children and youth, a leading priority."
For more information, contact Jean Doherty, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Health and Community Services Agency, (902) 368 6257.
BACKGROUNDER
Statistical Summary: The Progress of PEI's Children...
In 1995, almost 40,000 children and youth under 19 years lived in PEI. Children and Youth made up approximately 33 % of the population.
There are 33,895 families in Prince Edward Island. 80% are two-partner families (29,520) and the remaining are one parent families (4,375).
A scan of children's health in Prince Edward Island shows strengths in low incidence of low birth weight, low infant death rate, below national rate of death for SIDS, and high immunization rates. As well, there is a history of collaboration between early childhood and Department of Education, a new commitment to a promotion /prevention/population health approach, and a number of Child and Youth Initiatives.
In 1996 PEI had an immunization rate for children above 90%, which was one of the highest rates in Canada.
Prince Edward Island has the highest rate of labour force participation by married mothers with preschool children in the country (83.5 per cent compared to the Canadian rate of 69 per cent). The rate for single mothers with preschool children who work is even more remarkable (78.9 per cent compared to the Canadian rate of 47.3 per cent).
Although strengths exist, there are concerns with regard to high incidence of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, teen pregnancy, incidence of asthma and respiratory disease, incidence of juvenile diabetes, high rate of injury, education competencies, behavioural difficulties, high rate of hospitalization, child poverty, and exposure to family violence.
PEI has the second highest rate of hospitalization of children 5-to-14 years old. Many of these hospitalizations are related to respiratory illness, gastrointestinal problems and injuries.
Prince Edward Island has the lowest incidence (11.3%) of low incomes for children in Canada (National rate is 21.3%). However, between April, 1994 and March, 1995, 7,338 children or 21% of all Island children were living in homes that received social assistance for part or all of the year.
Family Violence is a significant problem for Island families. In 1994, there were 5,624 call to Transition House Association for services, 363 women and children fled their homes to seek emergency shelter at Anderson House, and 110 adult protection investigations were completed.
Each year in PEI over 1000 investigations of child abuse are completed by Child and Family Services.
According to a recent national survey, more than half of Canadians (51 per cent) over the age of 18 believe that family is becoming much more important in their life. Only 10 per cent believe the family is losing its importance.