N.B. Child and youth advocate calls for increased data collection on lingering impacts of pandemic, mental health

The province’s Child and Youth advocate identified data collection as one if its top priorities as it investigates graduation rates, inclusion, employment after graduation and mental health indicators. The advocate said the data on adolescents dying by suicide was striking, especially the gap between boys and girls. The rate of teenage boys dying by suicide was 29.77 per 10,000 versus the female rate of 7.85 per 10,000 and the advocate intends to find out what’s causing boys to avoid help or report mental health concerns. He believes the province needs to address the lack of mental health services, rather than the difficulty in navigating services and he would like to see an increase in peer networking programs to educate young people on how to help friends in crisis.
Related:
Le défenseur dévoile le Rapport sur l’état de l’enfance - Bureau du défenseur des enfants, des jeunes et des aînés
Collect data to ensure child protection laws work: advocate - Telegraph Journal (sub. req.)
Un élève sur trois a vécu un épisode de dépression en 2021 au N.-B. - L'Acadie Nouvelle (abonnement)
Après la pandémie, il faut aider nos enfants, plaide le défenseur - Radio-Canada