In the News

Trying to be gentle, social workers coined the phrase "aging out of care" to describe what happens to adolescents who reach the end of the child welfare system.

In an earlier, less tactful era, they were simply terminated.

But no amount of semantic cushioning can soften what, in real life, is a brutal transition.

At the age of 18, crown wards, whose only parent has been the state for most or all of their lives, suddenly have no parent. They're on their own.

In Ontario, some are eligible for extended care and maintenance payments of $663 per month until they reach 21. But many — usually those least able to cope — are cut off completely. They're alone in the adult world.

Not surprisingly, they don't do well.

A disproportionately large number drop out of school, get pregnant early, go on social assistance, develop drug and alcohol problems, live on the streets and bounce in and out of jail.

Rory Gleeson beat the odds. He spent his teenage years in foster and residential care but "aged out" successfully, thanks to dedicated social workers and his own resilience.

Because he stayed in school, he qualified for an extended care and maintenance allowance. Because he held down three part-time jobs and received grants as part of his student assistance, he was able to attend university, earn a master's degree and become a child welfare worker himself.

But he remembers moments of panic, with no one to turn to.

He remembers envying classmates whose biggest worry was exams and essays.

Most of all, he remembers watching kids he'd grown up with struggle and fail.

"Those in the greatest need are the least likely to get support," he said. "The province has opted out of ensuring that they are ready to become adults."

Gleeson, now 35, is fighting to change the system. He is part of a task force of civic leaders working on a plan to modernize Ontario's creaky income security system.

The group's report on adolescents emerging from the child welfare system, released today, is only a small piece of the plan. But it is a pivotal piece. Youths who are cut adrift at 18 after a rocky childhood are prime candidates for a life on social assistance.

The good news, says Gleeson, is that it wouldn't cost a lot to fix the problem. The number of young people involved is relatively small — about 600 a year — and the support the task force is recommending is short-term.

The bad news is that these semi-adults are virtually invisible. Few Ontarians ever ask what becomes of crown wards who grow up.

The task force hopes that by shining a light on this vulnerable segment of the population and making reasonable suggestions, it can prod the provincial government into acting.

Here is what it is proposing:

Extend financial support to adolescents leaving state care until they reach 24 years of age. The extra three years would greatly improve their chances of getting a good education and a job.

Make the eligibility criteria for extended care and maintenance (ECM) payments absolutely clear. The current guidelines are so vague — and so unevenly applied — that there are huge disparities across the province.

Raise ECM allowances to reflect the cost of living. At $663 a month, they don't come halfway to the National Welfare Council's poverty line ($1,675 a month).

Require all child welfare agencies to prepare youths, beginning at age 14, for independent living. At the moment, there are no common standards, no mandatory transitional programs and little monitoring.

Ensure that former crown wards have drug, dental and vision benefits until their 24th birthday.

Consider offering bursaries, grants or tuition waivers to students emerging from state guardianship who want to pursue higher education. Alberta already does this.

None of these measures would make up for the absence of a supportive parent, Gleeson admits.

Young people following in his footsteps still wouldn't have anyone to rouse them in the morning, come through with a few extra bucks if they run short, listen when they get discouraged or pick them up when they fall.

But they'd have a much better chance of navigating the treacherous passage from adolescence to adulthood.

(The full report is available at http://www.laidlawfdn.org/files/Youth_Leaving_Care_report.pdf).