COVID-19 impacting child and family poverty in Alberta
EDMONTON, AB– The Alberta College of Social Workers, the Edmonton Social Planning Council and Public Interest Alberta have released their report on the state of child and family poverty in Alberta.
Around 160,000 children in the province (one in six) experience the effects of childhood poverty, the report states.
Officials say this number has been dramatically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in a negative way.
The report says economic fallout during the pandemic has contributed to the lack of access to support services such as Indigenous communities, immigrants and refugees, and families in rural environments.