New regulations expand the mandate of B.C.'s Representative for Children and Youth, helping to ensure vulnerable young adults are supported during their transition to adulthood at age 19.

When families struggle - whether due to conflicts, substance misuse, illness or because they require specialized care for a child with complex needs - it's comforting to know there are safe havens available for the children and teens who have nowhere else to turn.

No government wants to see any child living in poverty and, while there is justification for calling attention to it, some important facts should be noted.

Sept. 9 is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Prevention and Support Day in B.C., an opportunity to raise awareness around the risks of alcohol use during pregnancy and to support healthy women, their infants and their families.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) affects an estimated nine in every 1,000 infants. And because the wide-ranging symptoms are not always visibly apparent, it is sometimes called an invisible disability.

Students throughout British Columbia head to the classroom on Sept. 3, many of them feeling first-day jitters. But for an estimated 25,000 students, first day of school stress can lead to anxiety that interferes with their daily activities.

The Aug. 30 editorial on the trauma that many of our B.C. youth in custody have experienced is certainly advocating the right approach. The results of the recent McCreary Time Out III report reinforce our emphasis on staff developing supportive relationships with these vulnerable kids so we can improve their chances of success as they reintegrate into their communities.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development has added $1.4 million to a bursary fund that helps B.C. youth formerly in government care pursue educational and vocational studies.