As Canadian children return to school, a new report says the country's youth are a “risk generation” in some of the biggest threats they face, including bullying, poverty and mental health issues.
A Raising Canada report commissioned by Children Children at this year's charity organization, 71% of young people aged 12 to 17 have reported that they have experienced at least one bullying in the past 12 months.
“Unfortunately, what we've seen in the same period last year is that life for our children is incredibly worse than expected,” said Sara Austin, founder of Children First Canad. “If we don't act today, we will see the long-term impact on their development, their happiness, and the overall prosperity of our country.”
According to the report, 42% of young people who have experienced bullying report that it happens every month, with 58% reporting it several times a year.
Of those facing bullying, 25% reported that cyber existed in the past year.
The report said 16% of victims of cyberbullying were threatened or humiliated online or through texting, while 13% said they were intentionally excluded from the online community.
Unlike bullying that occurs in school, children cannot escape cyberform.
“So it was painful because it was once bullying, but it happened frequently during school hours,” Alisa Simon said she was helping her child.
“Now it's really hard for young people to get away with it. They may be getting messages on social media all night.
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The Canadian promotion report shows that as teens age, the risk of cyberbullying increased, reaching 27% by the age of 17. But even at 12 years old, 20% reported being bullied digitally.
Austin says young people are also facing more than just cyberbullying, but more than cyber exploitation.
“There are so many ways our kids are exposed to online harm and harm in our classrooms. Essentially, they don't get the right support they need to be safe and supported,” Austin said.
The report claims that 71% of teachers claim to act to prevent a form of bullying, but only 25% say they feel that teachers are actually supported within the school setting.
Mathieu Constantin, executive director of Dare To Care, said that if there is a possibility of lack of support, fellow students and teachers should step up.
“It's all about stepping up. It's all about someone who has the courage to talk,” he said. “But we need to accept those disclosures by grace, and we need to support those who start to speak up.
Young people facing poverty, mental health issues
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Bullying is not the only danger young people face, the report found.
Many children said they lived in poverty of around 1.4 million people by the end of 2024 and were struggling with mental health issues.
By the age of 25, one in five Canadians have been diagnosed with mental illness, and the majority have begun to experience symptoms before the age of 18, according to the report.
Children First Canada believes that the rise of social media and artificial intelligence is escalating the situation and affecting mental health.
Several steps have been taken regarding access issues, with six states implementing mobile phone restrictions policies within the K-12 education settings.
However, the report calls on the federal government to step up and implement the youth-focused changes.
The proposed changes include a “comprehensive” national strategy for children and young people, including investing in this age group as a “national building priority.”
Constantine said changes were needed, but said actions actually need to occur.
“We can have a full code of conduct, a full contract, a full policy, a procedure, a law, a rule, etc., but we'll name it, but if people don't know those rules, it's much more difficult to rely on them,” he said.
That's why Austin said there's a need to make changes at home too.
“If you have a child, if you are struggling with mental health, or if you are struggling with bullying or racism, or if you are worried about your future, you can talk to your parents and other caregivers in life, talk to your teacher, ask for help and find out you're not alone,” she said.
“But for parents too, to dig deeper and avoid getting the simple answer “I'm fine” or “It's all fine.” ”
– Files from Amy Judd and Sky Briden Brom and Canadian Press on Global News
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