Manitoba can do better for children in care
Children in care in Manitoba’s child welfare system have poorer educational outcomes than others, according to a new study from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy at the University of Manitoba.
The study compared Manitoba children under age 18 who have been in care for any length of time with families who had received other services from Child and Family Services and those who had no involvement in the child welfare system.
Among children in kindergarten, over half of those in care were found to be “not ready” for school learning in at least one of five broad areas. Children in care also scored lower on math and reading assessments conducted in grades 3, 7, and 8, and achievement tests taken in Grade 12. Less than one third graduated from high school.
Manitoba has one of the highest rates of children in care in the world; in 2014, there were more than 10,000 children in care. Children living in care also have higher rates of of developmental disabilities and mental disorders presenting serious barriers to learning.
What: Release of “The Educational Outcomes of Children in Care”
When: Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 408 Brodie Centre, 727 McDermot Ave.
Who: Principal Author Marni Brownell, PhD and co-authors
For more information contact Ilana Simon, Director of Communications & Marketing, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 204-789-3427 or 204-295-677 or ilana [dot] simon [at] umanitoba [dot] ca
Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.