VICTORIA, B.C. - B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell says social groups and the Opposition New Democrats may not believe it, but helping the province's children is his top political priority.

In a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, Campbell said his Liberal government can do better when it comes to helping children, but its main focus is on giving programs time to develop and take root.

British Columbia has consistently ranked near the bottom in Canada when it comes to child poverty levels, despite having one of the strongest economies in the country.

"We're making progress with children, but I think there's a long way to go, particularly with children in need, and particularly with aboriginal children," Campbell said.

At least half of the estimated 9,000 children in government care in British Columbia are aboriginal.

Recently, the left-leaning B.C. Centre for Policy Alternatives released a study that concluded one in six children in British Columbia lives in poverty. The report called for a 50 per cent increase in welfare rates, a jump in the minimum wage, more social housing and a universal child-care plan.

Campbell said the government is working towards improvements for vulnerable children, but they won't happen overnight.

He said in 2005, National Chief Phil Fontaine of the Assembly of First Nations "came in and talked to me about what we were trying to do in British Columbia. And he said something that was really important - he said, 'You know, we can't solve these problems in a year or in two years.'

"We can't just make an announcement and have it go away. This takes a lot of work and a lot of time."

The government now looks at children's issues, especially those involving aboriginal children, as programs that need 10 years to build proper foundations, Campbell said.

B.C.'s children's representative, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, recently said the government was moving too slowly to implement recommendations by former judge Ted Hughes. In a report he issued 32 months ago, Hughes called for more than 60 changes within the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the province's child protection system.

Turpel-Lafond said the government appeared more intent on developing plans to protect and help children than actually implementing those plans.

"First of all, literally all of what I've tried to do in public life is about children," said Campbell. "We just don't give it that name. When I say let's balance our budget, that's about children. That's about not laying off costs into the future for our kids to pay that they will get no benefit from."

But he also acknowledged that children's issues involve more than balancing the books.

"There are some very difficult challenges in the whole issue of child protection," Campbell said. "And here's the balance you have to find - you have to find the balance between keeping the child in their best possible environment with their family and making sure they're safe."

It takes more than money to keep a family together and protect kids, he said, adding that the government is looking to build long-term results.

"We've put lots of extra dollars in, but it isn't just the dollars, it's creating a culture and an infrastructure of providing children with protection that they need across the system and integrating that system. You integrate the social worker with the health care provider, you integrate the teacher or the educator with the community development worker. Those are all big, big challenges."

Campbell said he understands why his government has been criticized on children's issues, but he's convinced the slow-and-steady approach is the best way to help children.

"I think we're making improvements and we're going to keep striving to make improvements," he said. "And frankly, I think it's healthy that people are saying you could do better."

Campbell also hinted strongly that he has no plans to retire from politics. He said he is focused on winning a third term in May, and if that happens, he plans to stay in office.

"As long as I'm excited about what we're doing and where we can go, and people give me the chance to do it, I want to keep on building on that momentum," he said. "We've done some pretty great stuff. Our people have done some pretty great stuff over the last seven years."