Ministries across the provincial government have made an action plan to support children and youth that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Child and Youth Well-being Report recommended 10 actions in the plan to support the short-term and long-term well-being of children and youth in the province.
“The pandemic has been difficult for most, but it has been especially challenging for vulnerable children, youth and families. This action plan lays out the next steps to help those most affected through programs and resources focusing on well-being and resiliency,” Minister of Children’s Services and Child and Youth Well-being Review panel co-chair Rebecca Schulz said in a government of Alberta media release.
The actions in the plan include expanding mental health and behavioural supports in schools, expanding prevention and early intervention supports, targeted funding to ensure schools can support students for pandemic-related issues such as learning loss, school nutrition and mental health supports, improving nutrition in schools, and increased training for early childhood educators.
“The pandemic has had an impact on many students, in different ways. From learning disruption to school nutrition and mental health supports, we’re taking action to help ensure affected students can get back on track to be successful in school and in life,” Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange said in the release.
The provincial government is also working to provide accessible and culturally appropriate services and supports for Indigenous people and newcomers, the release said.
Ongoing actions include an expansion to provincewide in-person and virtual mental health counselling services, expansion of youth mental health hubs, and Alberta’s Broadband Strategy to improve internet connectivity for families living in rural and remote areas.
The Child and Youth Well-being Review was established to understand the full scope of the psychological, social, educational and physical effects related to the COVID-19 pandemic on children and youth, the release said.
The panel engaged with researchers, educators, healthcare professionals and mental health experts, parents, children and youth.
Between May and August 2021, the panel engagement included two public surveys, 16 roundtable discussions, six telephone town halls, 15 MLA-led roundtable discussions with Albertans across the province and 96 email submissions.
The review and recommendations are the results of feedback and input from experts, researchers, educators, professionals, parents and youth.
The panel then worked to identify where services could be improved, and new supports.
“COVID-19 has affected all aspects of life for young people from every culture and community. The panel learned from experts on ways to ensure children and youth have the tools they need to process and cope in healthy ways. We are working together to ensure young people across this province can live healthy lives and have access to tools and supports that will help them reach their full potential,” MLA for Calgary-Southeast and Child and Youth Well-being Review panel co-chair Matt Jones said.
