'They must be supported': Report on young adults leaving government care

Report on young adults leaving government care Alberta's Child and Youth Advocate is calling for better supports for young adults that come out of the child welfare system

Alberta's Child and Youth Advocate is calling for better supports for young adults that come out of the child welfare system, citing the deaths of six young people who were leaving the government's care in 2018.

Child and Youth Advocate Del Graff released a report Monday that examined the experiences of the six young Albertans. All had received support from Children's Services through Support and Financial Assistance Agreements (SFAAs).

The advocate said better polices are needed alongisde training and time for staff to support those in the welfare system.

"What we'd really like to see change is that there be additional supports for people in this age range," he said.

"They struggle with being independent. They struggle with the autonomy to make all of their own decisions."

His recommendations include recognizing the significance of and supporting young people through the transition to adult hood, and better connecting young people to adult services like health and education supports before their SFAAs end. As well, he'd like to see them provided with adequate and safe housing options.

In October, the Kenney government changed the maximum age that children who grew up in care can receive financial benefits. Effective April 1, 2020, the maximum age will drop from 24 to 22.

The government said it was prioritizing the funding available for children, and that adults are better served by programs through Community and Social Services.

"One of the things we're doing is reviewing the supports and financial assistance agreements program as a whole," Minister of Children's Services Rebecca Schultz told media.

"To take a look into that data and determine whether there are any patterns or policy shifts that need to take place to better support young adults as they transition from child intervention."

The Child and Youth Advocate's report does not specifically address these changes.

The report says young people leaving the government's care do not feel prepared to live independently and that they need more support during this critical period.

This was echoed by the Official Opposition's Rakhi Pancholi, critic for children's services.

She said three recent deaths of people receiving services illustrates the vulnerability of those who are making the transition out of the system.

"These are vulnerable young people and they deserve and need our support. What's been happening lately just speaks to how important it is we continue providing that support," Pancholi said.

"It's also the support of social workers. You have to remember these are young people who have grown up in care. They don't have family supports. They don't have the people there to help them transition at a critical time."

She was referring to the deaths of a 23-year-old, 20-year-old, and one-year-old on Nov. 20, 17, and 14. All had been receiving government services, although only the one-year-old had still been in care.

The Child and Youth Advocate of Alberta is an officer of the legislature whose role is to represent the rights, interests and viewpoints of children who are receiving intervention services or are involved in the youth justice system.