Children and Poverty

Hamilton has now the highest number of children per capita living in poverty of any community in Ontario.

Yet, for the first time in many years, there are some new opportunities.

The important Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction has set as its goal the making of Hamilton as the best place to raise a child. Community, business and City Council members are working together for our community’s children.

The provincial Best Start pilot in the East End of Hamilton is providing parental support and early child development and care services, some within schools acting as hubs. This important program empowers parents and stimulates healthy child development. Many new programs, opened this fall, are helping children to be ready for schooling.

Both Boards of Education last year commissioned reports and action plans on those inner city schools where there are high concentrations of vulnerable children. This is not the first report for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board  (the first was in the 1970s) .It emphasizes the improvements in teaching methods and instruction, support to teachers, and linkages to community partnerships needed for all students to reach their potential. Nutrition, clothing and accessibility issues will also be considered.

Working together, these initiatives have the potential to tackle unresolved issues related to children’s poverty:

First, we need to reduce the incidence of low-birth-weight babies in our community. Hamilton’s rates are above the provincial average, and many low birth- weight babies go on to have health and other problems. For example, 47% of extremely-low-birth weight babies will need costly special-education support throughout their schooling. Possible actions are:

·         Expansion of successful Public Health programs that supplement pregnant women’s diets.

• Provision of a free dental hygiene visit for at risk pregnant women.

Poor dental health is linked to other health issues. Toronto’s action has reduced its incidence of low birth weight.

•  We advocate for the return of the special dietary allowance provided to all pregnant women living on social assistance that was removed by the Harris government.

Secondly we need to improve the healthy development of all children through extensive provision of early development and care services, and by reducing poor nutrition, and obesity.  Possible actions are:

• The extension and sustaining of the full Best Start program to all of Hamilton.
• Greater community support to the Partners in Nutrition program that provides nutrition funding to school-age children.
• Greater accessibility of school gyms to youth after school.

The joint use of facilities agreement between the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and the City provides 15,000 hours of free-school-gym time to the City. Currently there is no City policy ensuring this time is allocated to youth groups and at no cost.

• Community fund for school playing fields and yards.

HWDSB has no funds for their maintenance, yet the community uses these green spaces extensively.  The City is one of only three Ontario municipalities that has a Park Levy on new schools and this could be eliminated.

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Thirdly, we can ensure that every child has a similar experience in school, regardless of their socio-economic status, with access to extra-curricular activities, the arts and music. School boards are not provided with funds for musical instruments or athletic programs. Parents in affluent neighborhoods buy uniforms, pay for musical instruments, augment the HWDSB music lessons, drive their children to games, and pay for sports equipment and club fees.  Elsewhere, the programs are limited by the financial ability of the parents. Possible actions to consider :

• Former athletes’ fund to finance school athletic uniforms, games’ expenses, and equipment  
• Community bursaries to help students remain in school, and allow them to take the HWDSB’s string program.
• Community fund for the acquisition and repair of school band instruments

And finally, we can all contribute to producing active citizens who have the skills needed for employment, college or university, by helping all students reach their potential through mentoring and opportunities for a variety of work experiences.  It takes a community to raise a child!

Judith Bishop is a former honorary chair of the Week of the Child  18.10 2006