Improving health for children and youth: It starts with the data

For Canadian youth, overall well-being includes a focus on both physical and mental health, and the factors which contribute to it.

Statistics Canada is currently conducting the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY) , which aims to provide important insights on the health and well-being of children and youth in Canada.

Data collection began in October and will continue until February 2, 2025. There are two parts to the survey: one for parents or guardians of children aged 1 to 17 years, and one for youth aged 12 to 17 years.

If you are invited to participate, we need to hear from you! For youth, completing the survey can even count toward high school community involvement hours.

Your input matters 

Your experiences and perspectives can help make a difference to improve health care and support for kids across Canada. The survey covers topics such as mental health, access to a regular health care provider, and care needs. The data collected will be used to measure how health care is delivered across Canada. Data will also help policymakers and health researchers to monitor Canadian children’s health over time and improve support for young people to lead healthy lives.

Your responses are confidential, and your privacy is our priority. For more information about how we collect personal information, visit the Information for survey participants and Trust Centre pages.

Previous survey data sheds light on youth mental health

In the fall of 2024, the CHSCY released its most recent results which indicated that about one in five (21%) youth aged 12 to 17 years who rated their mental health as “good,” “very good,” or “excellent” in 2019 no longer felt that way in 2023. Girls were more likely than boys to report mental health declines.

The results also showed that 16% of parents who reported their child as often or always looking forward to school in 2019, reported the opposite four years later when their child was aged 7 to 11.

The 2019 to 2023 survey period included the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on social development—some of which are still being felt today. Data collected from the latest round of the CHSCY on this and other contributing factors will help us to better understand the health needs of youth, and continue to improve on better care and resources.