FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2025
KJIPUKTUK (HALIFAX, NS) – The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW) is releasing its comprehensive review of the Children and Family Services Act submitted to the Department of Opportunities and Social Development in the fall of 2023. This submission, which spans a four-year period of analysis, also provides a detailed follow-up on the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives NS (CCPA-NS) report, Contradictions in Care: Labour conditions, conflicting values, and crisis in child protection social work in Nova Scotia.
The NSCSW, whose mandate is to ensure the safe and ethical delivery of social work practice and to advocate for social policies that effect meaningful change, has highlighted urgent issues and trends impacting Nova Scotia’s most vulnerable children and families.
Key findings
The review highlights how financial measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), offered critical support to vulnerable families. These measures led to a temporary and notable improvement in child welfare statistics, as many families were able to stay together with the added financial stability. The data reveals that CERB played a pivotal role in reducing child poverty and bolstering family resilience during an otherwise challenging time, illustrating the profound impact of universal economic support.
The role of CERB in reducing child poverty
Data showed that while CERB was in effect (March 2020 – October 2021), child poverty in Nova Scotia decreased by 24.3%—the largest single-year reduction on record. For many families, CERB provided critical financial stability, with single parents receiving nearly triple the annual social assistance benefits and couples with two children gaining $800 more per month than before. “These figures reinforce what social workers have long known—addressing child poverty is instrumental in reducing the need for child welfare interventions,” said Alec Stratford, NSCSW Executive Director and Registrar.
The ripple effect on child apprehension
During the pandemic, there was a noticeable decline in the number of children in the care of the province. This is not attributed to changes in the Children and Family Services Act or provincial government policies, but rather to external factors such as the CERB and pandemic-related restrictions.
Challenges for social workers
The pandemic also posed significant barriers for social workers, who struggled with the inability to conduct in-person home visits due to lockdowns and social distancing measures. These challenges highlighted systemic under-resourcing in the sector, which continues to fuel burnout and ethical distress among workers.
Urgent action needed
The data underscores a collective call to address child and family poverty in Nova Scotia. With the temporary decline in children entering care reversing as pandemic supports and restrictions eased, it has become evident that poverty elimination must be at the forefront of government priorities.
“To fully realize the rights of children and youth, and to ensure they have the opportunity to reach their full potential, the government must actively commit to ending child and family poverty,” said Robert Wright, President of the NSCSW. “This is not just a moral obligation—it’s a vital step to improve the quality of care to marginalized and racialized families to reduce the burden on social workers and to uphold Canada’s 1989 Parliamentary pledge to end child poverty.”
The NSCSW calls on the provincial and federal governments to prioritize investments in programs and policies that eliminate poverty, strengthen resources for families, and improve working conditions for social workers.
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About us:
The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers serves and protects Nova Scotians by effectively regulating the profession of social work. We work in solidarity with Nova Scotians to advocate for policies that improve social conditions, challenge injustice and value diversity.
For more information or to arrange interviews with NSCSW spokespersons, contact: Rebecca Faria, communication coordinator for NSCSW (902-429-7799 ext. 227, [email protected]).