A new study is tracking the top ten threats to children in the country.
The study, released yesterday by Children First Canada, shows that the number one threat is unintentional and preventable injury such as falls, sports injuries, and transport injuries, with a 28 per cent increase in children attending emergency rooms. Accidents from cannabis use, such as driving accidents, have increased during COVID-19 and since its legalization.
Other threats include poor mental health, systemic racism and discrimination, child abuse and vaccine-preventable illnesses to round out the top five.
This years’ #RaisingCanada report is now available!
Life for kids in Canada is #NOTFAIR and the 2022 report showcases 10 reasons why we need to continue to put #childrenfirst in our decision making.
Learn more: https://t.co/acLfZW1QRs pic.twitter.com/m1FOL4jEM8
— Children First (@children1stca) September 7, 2022
Sixteen-year-old Katie Foley Tremblett, a youth advocate with Children First Canada, attends Exploits Valley High. She says children face threats like these every day.
She says school isn’t always a place that values or talks about student health on the level it should be.
Foley Tremblatt says student issues need to be valued more at school.
She says it seems that young people are not seen as equal to adults, and are not valued in the same way in that setting.
