Wednesday September 13, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated 2:40 pm]
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. | Island Social Trends
Low-income mothers who need support for acquiring infant formula for their newborn or and infant child can now receive that support through midwives in BC.
“Improving access to infant formula for those who need it most” is how Grace Lore, MLA (Victoria-Beacon Hill) — who is Minister of State for Child Care — put it in a post on X (Twitter) today.
Lore was referring to Order in Council (OIC) 402 which supports vulnerable families and supports BC’s Poverty Reduction Strategy.
OIC 402 has changed criteria for access, increased supplements for nutrition, and has added midwives to the people who can help people access this support.
Old scenario:
- If infant was at risk of contracting disease
- No access via midwives
- Lower amount
New scenario:
- If the nutritional needs of the infant cannot be met through breastfeeding
- Access through midwives
- Increased amount
Making life better for parents and families:
The Ministry of Education and Child Care was not involved in this Order in Council, but Minister of State Lore hoped with her X (Twitter) post today to highlight the achievement on social media.
The Minister of State for Child Care mandate letter from December 7, 2022 mostly itemizes goals for child care, including the broader context to “improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our work as we focus on making life better for all parents and families in our province”.
===== ABOUT THE WRITER:
Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. (Foods and Nutrition) is the editor and publisher of Island Social Trends. She is the mother of four (now grown) children. She is a long-time proponent of breastfeeding and optimal nutritional intake by mothers during their pregnancies.
The Island Social Trends socioeconomic news perspective is applied to: HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS | POLITICAL NEWS
Island Social Trends is a daily news portal at IslandSocialTrends.ca . Premium Subscribers are welcome, as a way to support independent news in Canadian society.
Mary P Brooke was nominated for a Jack Webster Foundation award in 2023 that recognizes the work of a woman journalist as a contribution to her community.
Mary Brooke is now giving presentations to organizations about Urban Food Resilience and also the need for society to continue supporting journalism as a part of democracy.