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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Children and Youth Left Out:
Report Card on Child Poverty Released
Burlington, May 11, 2005 - Last week during Youth Week the energy, capacities and achievements of children and youth were highlighted and celebrated. However, President Dick Stewart of Community Development Halton explains, “some children are denied recreation and social opportunities because of poverty. The capacity of these children and youth to excel is curtailed, which not only affects them as individuals but also influences their contribution to social and economic development.”
”Poverty is like a disease it affects every aspect of your being,” says Dr. Joey Edwardh, Executive Director of Community Development Halton. In order for the communities of Halton to be truly inclusive, we must ensure that everyone has, at the very least, the opportunity to fully participate in society and poverty deters participation.”
The widespread affluence of the Halton community often overshadows the reality of poverty and as a result many Halton residents are insensitive to the fact that there are low income people living in their communities. For example, in Halton, 5,830 children aged 0-14 and 3,785 youth aged 15-24 belong to low income families. This translates to:
- 7.6% of children living in poverty
- 8.3% of youth living in poverty
Also, the percentage of children living in poverty differs greatly by where
they live in Halton. Indeed, there are certain areas in both Oakville and
Burlington where the percentage of children aged 0-14 living in poverty falls
between 23% and 45 % of the entire 0-14 age population. This concentration of
poverty in certain areas is indicative of the widening gap between the rich and
the poor.
Children are poor because their families are poor; families are poor because of
inadequate income. “That there are many children living in poverty is not a
function of unchangeable economic laws,” adds Dr. Edwardh. “Instead, the child
poverty rate is determined by the political will and corresponding social
policies of governments. This is one of the reasons why child poverty rates
fluctuate in different countries, provinces and cities”.
This Report Card discusses what individuals and groups can do to end child and youth poverty; among them are some of the following:
- support social assistance and disability insurance rates that do not place people and their families in poverty
- support a minimum wage that is a living wage
- no to the claw back of the National Child Benefit Supplement – get money into the hands of families
- build affordable housing
- create educational and training opportunities for all
- develop food co-ops
- support advocacy efforts of low income people so their situation can be heard
- end stereotypes of poor and low income people
The Report Card on Child Poverty 2005 can be found online at www.cdhalton.ca
For more information, contact:
Ted Hildebrandt
Senior Social Planner
(905) 632-1975
