What is the One Chance to Be a Child report?
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A look at how children and youth are doing in Nova Scotia, Canada, based on best available data and the input of young people.
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An assessment of child and youth well-being in Nova Scotia, organized into six key questions guided by UNICEF’s Canadian Index of Child and Youth Well-being:
ARE WE CONNECTED TO THE ENVIRONMENT?
DO WE BELONG AND ARE WE PROTECTED?
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An opportunity to learn about children’s rights and how we can respect and implement them in Nova Scotia.
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A call to action by a multidisciplinary group of child service providers, academics, and community advocates.
Reduce and eventually eliminate poverty experienced by children and youth
Prioritize the elimination of systemic racism and discrimination
Establish an independent body dedicated to the rights of children and youth
Develop a strategy to fully enshrine the rights of children and youth and improve their well-being
RECOMMENDATIONS
The authors of the One Chance to Be a Child report put forward six core recommendations that should be implemented without delay in Nova Scotia. Twelve specific actions and multiple additional suggestions are included throughout the report.
The well-being of 2SLGBTQ+ children and youth in Nova Scotia
The well-being of Mi’kmaw children and youth in Nova Scotia
The well-being of African Nova Scotian children and youth
The well-being of children and youth who are newcomers to Nova Scotia
The well-being of children and youth living with disability in Nova Scotia
The authors shone a spotlight of attention on three key issues related to child and youth well-being:
A SPOTLIGHT OF ATTENTION
A spotlight of attention was also placed on:
ADD YOUR ENDORSEMENT
The title of the report was chosen to reflect the critical nature of childhood and adolescence, a period we know lays the foundations for lifelong health and well-being. While children have just one chance to be a child, we have many opportunities to honour their potential during childhood.
If you support the rights and well-being of children and youth in Nova Scotia and want to see action on the report recommendations, please add your endorsement.
ENDORSEMENTS
Mykayla Commandeur
Dalhousie Alumni, Alumni
Alex Smith
PlayGroundology, Founder/Editor
Dorothy R Barnard
Richmond River Roots Market Garden Society,
Jonnie-Lyn Baron
Dalhousie University, Health and Wellness, Student Health Promotion
Alexandra Whelan
Dalhousie University, Student
Stacie Smith
Young Canadians Roundtable on Health, Executive Director
Christine Saulnier
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-NS, Director
Dr. Krista Jangaard
IWK Health, President & CEO
Alexa MacDonald
Dalhousie University, MSc MPH
Katie Gardner
IWK Health, Physician
Lisa Scott
Nova Scotia resident, mother
Dr. Sarah Moore
Dalhousie University, Assistant professor
Elizabeth Perry
#ACEs Canada, Founder
Joanne Gallivan
Heather Morse
Community Health Board, Chair
Carmel Peart
CSAP, Parent
Amy Bray-Campbell
NSH AND SRCE, School Health Partnership Nurse
Shannon MacPhee
IWK Health and Dalhousie, Pediatrician
Jessie-Lee McIsaac
Early Childhood Collaborative Research Centre, Mount Saint Vincent University, Director, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair
Brianne Kinahan
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Epidemiologist
Sydney Nelson
Coastal Dental Hygiene, Manager
Katrina Hurley
IWK Health, Emergency Physician
Elizabeth Dickson
Early Childhood Collaborative Research Centre, Mount Saint Vincent University, Professional Dietitian, Early Years Nutrition Coach
David Upton
Common Good Solutions CIC, Community Developer
Stacy Burgess
IWK Health, Director Children's Health Program
Amanda Julien, Parent
John LeBlanc
Dalhousie University, Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Minoli Amit MD FRCP
St. Martha's Regional Hospital., Pediatrician
Matthieu Martin
Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, Emerging Leader
Michelle Stone
Dalhousie University, Associate Professor
Kathleen Moriarty
Self-employed Educational Consultant
Vanessa Fells
ANSDPAD Coalition, Director of Operations
Rena Kulczycki
UpLift Partnership, HeartWood Centre for Community Youth Development and the Tatamagouche Centre, Youth Engagement Consultant and Program Facilitator
Dorothy Gray Grantmyre MSW ‘54
Robyn Bowser
Veterinarian
Tom Servaes
1st Bedford Scouts, Section leader
Marcela Rodriguez Flores
Imperial College London, Research Assistant
Colleen Cameron
Advocate for social justice and SDOH
Jennifer Brenton-Peters
University of Auckland, PhD student
Michele MacPhee
Community Health Board,
Katherine Hutka
IWK Health (Child Safety Link), Health Promotion Specialist
Julia Kontak
Dalhousie University, PhD in Health
Laurie Ann Graham
Dalhousie University, Clinical Coordinator NP Program
Bill Davey
Retired
Jill McCoul
Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education, Elementary Teacher
Elyse Quann
Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, Research Assistant
Denise Zwicker
Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University, Senior Instructor
Alec Stratford
Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, Executive Director/Registrar
Danny Cavanagh
Stella Lord
Community Society to End Poverty-NS, Coordinator
Louise Adongo
Inspiring Communities, Executive Director
Lesley Frank
Acadia University, Professor
Julie Windebank
Community member
Shalimar Manuel
Public Health, Youth Engagement Coordinator
Kate MacLeod
CCRCE and Public Health, School Health Promoter
Nan McFadgen
CUPE Nova Scotia, President
Christina C Lovitt
Maeghan Taverner
Dalhousie University, Graduate student
Bruce Tizzard
Northside The Lakes Community Health Board, Member
Meghan Nazer
CDHNS, Dental Hygienist
Lorena Ruth Norwood
Heartwood Centre for Community Youth Development, Interim ED
Don Brien
NSH, MD
Joe Doiron
Consultant, Population Health, Advancing healthy public policy
Cora Cole
Coordinator, Women Centres Connect
Jane Cawley
Nova Scotia College of ECE, Faculty
Jane Grantmyre
Emily Bremer
Acadia University, Canada Research Chair in Healthy Inclusive Communities
© 2022 by Department of Pediatrics and the Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University