167 search results for
Income insecurity and benefits
Recommendation 29:
The Legal Services Society of BC must provide legal support for appeals where a person has been denied income assistance or disability assistance.
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Recommendation 13:
The incarceration of one parent often results in various forms of hardship for the rest of the family, particularly the children. Imprisonment disrupts positive, nurturing relationships between many parents—particularly mothers who are often the sole or primary caregiver—and their children. Children and their families suffer economic strain and instability when a parent is imprisoned. Family members are not guilty of anything. All agencies and services involved with the families should try to mitigate the impact on family members at all stages of the criminal justice system, ensuretheir rights are upheld, and ensure they are not discriminated against because of the actions of their family member. Supporting the families and strengthening the children’s positive family connections are necessary to ensure a healthy child development. Different forms of support are needed.
- Encourage the various agencies and services involved with the children to work towards positive family outcomes and to adopt consistent practices in the support of families and positive life outcomes for the children.
- Ensure that families understand the criminal justice process and are aware of the supports available.
- Provide information to families and ensure that the information provided is timely and accurate.
- Encourage and support parents and caregivers to explain procedures, decisions and the truth of the situation to children in an age appropriate manner.
- Ensure that families have access to information and assistance on a range of issues such as housing, benefits and finances, legal issues, health, or childcare.
- Facilitate appropriate contacts between family members and the incarcerated parent.
- Provide guidance to agencies dealing with families of parents in conflict with the law.
- Conduct family impact assessments when new policies and practices are developed that may affect the families of people in conflict with the law.
- Keep incarcerated parents informed about the situation and well-being of their children and other family members, and support them in managing family concerns as appropriate.
Enhancing the Protective Environment for Children of Parents in Conflict with the Law or Incarcerated: A Framework for Action
Group/author:
Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, University of the Fraser Valley – School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, University of the Fraser Valley – School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
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2018
2018
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Recommendation 21:
The BC Human Rights Commission to prioritize stigma-auditing areas of law and policy that most directly impact highly stigmatized populations including sex workers in areas such as:
- Public space governance,
- Income assistance and disability policy,
- Housing policy and residential tenancy law,
- Child welfare law and policy,
- Policing law and policy,
- Health policy related to mental health and substance use,
- Privacy law as it relates to people who live in public spaces and people who are criminalized as a result of poverty and substance use.
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Category and theme:
- Ableism ,
- Accessibility ,
- Accessible services and technology ,
- Discrimination and hate ,
- Economic inequality ,
- Gender-based violence ,
- Health ,
- Housing and homelessness ,
- Income insecurity and benefits ,
- Mental health and detention ,
- Other ,
- Policing ,
- Policing and the criminal justice system ,
- Poverty ,
- Poverty and economic inequality ,
- Privacy ,
- Public services ,
- Sexism ,
- Tenancy rights ,
- Workers’ rights
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Recommendation 2:
Although this legislative approach is relatively new and untested, its potential for reducing the pay gap, contributing to poverty reduction, and helping other marginalized groups are all significant. Additionally, it approaches the issue in a way that pay transparency and pay equity do not, which ensures that pay discrimination against gender diverse people is identified and rectified. We recommend that this model, and the outcomes from its implementation in Iceland, continue to be studied and considered by policymakers. A pilot implementation period, where the equal pay standard is trialed in a select number of firms or government agencies, or establishing the equal pay standard as a voluntary certification that businesses can independently attain, would be the best ways to determine whether this policy is viable for BC. The BC government should consider consulting with business groups and labour unions about the design of a future equal pay certificate for the province. Such consultations were crucial for getting such a strenuous form of regulation passed in Iceland. These and other efforts to get all affected parties on board with the legislation will all contribute to making this policy more feasible in the future.
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Recommendation 14:
The BC government should amend legislation to ensure that there is no reduction of benefits for families when a child is temporarily taken into care so that income supports and housing can be maintained while parents are working to bring their children home.
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Recommendation 19:
The BC government and MCFD should increase preventative program funding to Indigenous communities for existing or new promising practices. Funding must be equitable, sustained and long-term, and cover the delivery of holistic services as identified by communities. Funding should cover services such as:
- Human resource needs of community-based groups including issues with retention, burn out, inequity in pay scales etc.
- In-home support
- Pregnancy support and baby welcoming programs
- Transition support programming for families after children have been removed or upon being returned home
- Supports for parents whose children are in care
- Provide in-home support immediately as a tool to prevent removal
- Funding for cultural programming that is consistent and frequent
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Category and theme:
- Accessibility ,
- Accessible services and technology ,
- Classism ,
- Culture and language ,
- Decolonization and Indigenous rights ,
- Disability and parenting ,
- Discrimination and hate ,
- Economic inequality ,
- Education and employment ,
- Health, wellness and services ,
- Income insecurity and benefits ,
- Indigenous children and youth in care ,
- Poverty ,
- Poverty and economic inequality ,
- Public services ,
- Racism ,
- Sexism ,
- Workers’ rights
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Recommendation 3:
That the BC government create a new provincial tax credit program, through which seniors who access non-government home health care or independent living services are eligible to receive a refundable tax credit up to $2,500.
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Recommendation 18:
Systemic neighbourhood environmental issues
To address safety concerns expressed by interviewees, there are several larger structural solutions such as increasing the number of safe and affordable housing units, access to health-focused treatment, and equitable employment opportunities. One short-term measure could be to install lighting on streets and in alleyways to help people feel safe during evenings and at night.
In the interim, reducing criminalization and stigmatization of community members would alleviate further social divides. Instead, we recommend an approach that allows them to thrive that takes an inclusive approach to housing, employment, social security, and access (services, food, other), which would require cooperative action by all levels of government and stakeholders.
Ultimately, a systems change approach would need to be applied to adequately address the root causes of these issues. As noted in the Resilient Vancouver Phase One Engagement Report (2018), many of these issues are interrelated and solutions need to involve multiple city departments, all levels of government, and other stakeholders.
To address safety concerns expressed by interviewees, there are several larger structural solutions such as increasing the number of safe and affordable housing units, access to health-focused treatment, and equitable employment opportunities. One short-term measure could be to install lighting on streets and in alleyways to help people feel safe during evenings and at night.
In the interim, reducing criminalization and stigmatization of community members would alleviate further social divides. Instead, we recommend an approach that allows them to thrive that takes an inclusive approach to housing, employment, social security, and access (services, food, other), which would require cooperative action by all levels of government and stakeholders.
Ultimately, a systems change approach would need to be applied to adequately address the root causes of these issues. As noted in the Resilient Vancouver Phase One Engagement Report (2018), many of these issues are interrelated and solutions need to involve multiple city departments, all levels of government, and other stakeholders.
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Category and theme:
- Accessibility ,
- Accessible services and technology ,
- Alternative solutions ,
- Classism ,
- Discrimination and hate ,
- Food insecurity ,
- Health ,
- Housing and homelessness ,
- Income insecurity and benefits ,
- Mental health and detention ,
- Policing and the criminal justice system ,
- Poverty ,
- Poverty and economic inequality ,
- Public services ,
- Racism ,
- Substance use
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Recommendation 22:
Support workers need to provide in-person support to make a strong connection with youth. For those who are unable to, they should provide frequent virtual check-ins.
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Recommendation 6:
Support the development of the Friendly Landlord Network to increase youth’s access to market housing. There should be more public education initiatives that engage landlords by creating accountability within community to support youth and fostering a sense of purpose by helping youth. The provincial government could provide tax incentives for individual homeowners to provide affordable rent and become a part of the Friendly Landlord Network or something similar.
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