This paper proposes Relational Epidemiology, a theoretical orientation that shifts epidemiological inquiry from measuring children’s experiences to evaluating the relationships, systems, and collective responsibilities that shape childhood.
The Childhood Wellness Framework operationalizes Relational Epidemiology by organizing childhood around collective responsibilities and the conditions necessary for children to flourish, rather than around individual experiences of adversity or resilience.
- We found that 169,740 children experienced parental incarceration in BC, Alberta, Saskachewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia between 2015-2021.
- That’s 1/100 (1.2%) of children under 18.
- 29% higher than the rate for the EU (229/100,000) Canada vs EU (178/100,000).
- 87.4% had one and 12% had 2 parents who experienced incarceration.
- 5.9% had at least one Black parent. 30.5% had at least one Indigenous parent.
- Parents who experienced incarceration were 22.6% female, 77.4% male.
- Parents who experienced incarceration were 6% Black, 31.6% Indigenous.
- Children experienced a median of 60 and a mean of 166.5 total days of parental incarceration during the study period (2015-2021).