Top 10 threats to childhood are putting the lives of 8 million kids at risk

As children across the country get ready for the new school year, Raising Canada 2022 tracks the top 10 threats to childhood – including poor mental health, food insecurity, systemic racism, child abuse and climate change – underscoring children are in crisis across the country. With health officials predicting successive COVID-19 waves this fall and beyond, the report highlights that children continue to suffer short- and long-term repercussions to their health. This is the fifth in an annual series of reports released by the national charity, Children First Canada.

With one-third of kids in Canada not experiencing a safe and healthy childhood, the report shows that the government’s chronic underinvestment in young people is putting the lives of all 8 million children in Canada at risk. The report calls on all levels of government to take bold action and provides recommendations to make Canadian children a priority.

“Kids thrive in environments that are safe, structured and nurturing, yet sadly many Canadian children do not make it to their eighteenth birthday,” said Sara Austin, CEO of Children First Canada. “Canada has higher rates of infant mortality than most other wealthy nations, and the leading causes of childhood deaths include preventable injuries, suicide and homicide. These devastating statistics are too alarming to be ignored.”

With systemic racism and discrimination continuing to threaten the health and wellbeing of children across the country, the findings of Raising Canada 2022 also highlight a disproportionate impact on equitydeserving children and youth.

“Children are experiencing widespread violations of their rights to survive and thrive. Threats to children’s mental and physical health have been exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, the rising cost of living and school closures. The urgency to invest in kids has never been greater. We look forward to working with all levels of government to take bold action to improve the lives of children and the future of all Canadians,” added Austin.

The top ten threats to Children in Raising Canada 2022 include:

• Systemic Racism and Discrimination

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Indigenous children are 12.4 times more likely to be taken out of their homes and placed in foster care than non-Indigenous children.

Transgender adolescents (aged 15-17) are 7.6 times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to their peers.

• Unintentional and Preventable Injuries

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children and youth in Canada.

There has been a 28% increase in children attending emergency departments in the past decade, many of which are due to preventable injuries.

Poor Mental Health

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 15-24, and third for children ages 10-14.

More than half of youth (aged 12-18) in • •

•

Canada experience depression, and 39% face anxiety.

Child Abuse

Approximately 1 in 3 Canadians report experiencing some form of child abuse by the age of 15. This statistic is higher among Indigenous populations (40%). Among students in Canada, 1 in 4 children surveyed experienced sexual harassment or assault in schools by Grade 7.

Infant Mortality

Canada has the second highest infant mortality rate (4 per 1000 births) among OECD countries.

Though statistics indicate First Nations, Métis and Inuit infants face higher IMRs (two to four times higher than the national average), many sources indicate provinces are not capturing enough data.

Bullying

Approximately 1 in 3 Canadian youth report being bullied, with prevalence being relatively consistent over the past 12 years. Over the pandemic, incidents of antiAsian racism among children 18 years or younger increased by 286% for Asian Canadian youth.

Also included in the top 10 threats to kids are vaccine-preventable illnesses (including COVID-19), poverty and nutritional insecurity, limited physical activity and play and climate change. Disruption to education, inadequate youth representation and limited access to health care and other social services were cross-cutting themes in the findings of the report.

“Every child deserves to be seen and heard,” said 16-year-old Jayden PaquetNoiseux from Quebec, Youth Advisor. “Children and youth aren’t viewed with the same importance as adults, and the big decisionmakers do not always consider our needs and rights. Children should be at the table to help create solutions to tackle the challenges we’re facing.”

Raising Canada includes a call to action signed by the Council of Champions, urging the government to take action to improve the lives of 8 million children in Canada and address the inequities faced by its youngest citizens. Specific recommendations on the top 10 threats to childhood and the crosscutting themes have been identified throughout the report. Among the overarching recommendations, Raising Canada 2022 calls on the Government of Canada to:

1. Establish an independent Commissioner for Children and Youth dedicated to protecting the rights of children;

2. Create transparency and accountability on federal expenditures related to children and youth by publishing a Children’s Budget; and

3. Create and implement a national Plan of Action to improve the lives of children. “When kids thrive, Canada thrives. Our collective future depends on the decisions we make today,” added Austin. “Investing in kids now is not just the right thing to do, it’s also a down payment on our future that will bear enormous social and economic dividends for years to come.”