The status and lives of children in Canada have changed considerably over the past century. As the family has changed from being a unit of production to one of consumption so too has the status, role, and 'value' of children within it. Children in Canada Today examines the evolving role of children in Canadian society and explores the process through which children grow up to be socially 'funcioning' adults. The first half of the book covers the importanthistory and theory informing sociological perspectives on children, as well as an overview of sociological research on children. Working from this foundation, the book continues by examining the varous 'agents of socialization' and the locales in which socialization takes place - such as schools, media, and thehome. The second half of the book explores select Canadian social policies and practices that affect the lives of children and is 'issue-based' in approach, investigating topics such as poverty, divorce, and abuse.