More Money for Children in Need

Children in need are getting more funding and support from the Nova Scotia government, including larger budgets for the province's Child Welfare Agencies.

In 2002-03, the Department of Community Services is providing $93.24 million to support Child Welfare Agencies -- an 11 per cent increase over the previous year.

"Children are one of the best investments government can make," said Community Services Minister Peter Christie. "Any suggestion that we are reducing funding to Child Welfare Agencies is false."

The overall budget this year for the department's family and children services increased by more than $6 million -- or 4.6 per cent -- to $139 million. This is in addition to an earlier increase of $3.5 million which enabled the department to hire 71 additional child welfare workers to assist with growing case loads.