Press Releases

Toronto/ October 26, 2005 --- Compared to their peers, youth exiting, or leaving the care of child welfare agencies are often consigned to a cycle of persistent poverty, are more dependent on adult social assistance, and are overly represented in the mental health and criminal justice system according to Youth Leaving Care: How do they Fare?, a study released today by the Task Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working Age Adults (MISWAA).

Youth taken into care by child welfare authorities, or placed in foster homes or residential treatment centres often emerge from the system ill-equipped to cope with the challenges they face after turning 18, the age at which – with limited support -- the state is no longer responsible for them. By contrast, almost 60% of young Canadians age 20-24 were still living in their parents’ home and benefiting from their continued support, a 2001 survey found.

“There are no provincial standards for preparing youth for independence” says Rory Gleeson, a children’s services worker working directly with Crown Wards at an Ontario Children’s Aid Society. “There is no government oversight in ensuring standards are met. Without either, youth in care are often placed at real risk when they leave care. These youth and the Children’s Aid Societies responsible for their care deserve more support from the provincial government.”

However, effective interventions designed to ease the transition to adulthood for youth leaving care can help them reach their full potential, the Youth Leaving Care: How do they Fare? report argues.

“These vulnerable young people need additional help to prepare themselves for independence” said Susan Pigott, CEO St. Christopher House and Co-chair of the MISWAA Task Force that published the report. “They need time to complete their high school education, to learn life skills, and they need adequate financial support to pursue post-secondary education or training programs when they leave.”

The Youth Leaving Care: How do they Fare? report contains a number of specific, phased-in recommendations to help meet the needs of youth leaving care, including: extending the maximum age for extended care and maintenance from 21 to 24, identifying and implementing transitional programs that have been shown to result in better outcomes for youth exiting care, and exploring options or financial assistance to permit further education or training.

“We believe there are many practical, effective and sustainable things the province of Ontario could do to immediately improve the situation for the thousands of youth in this disadvantaged group” said Lynda Manser, Executive Director of the National Youth in Care Network.

“If we act now to ease the transition for these vulnerable youth, then we will have helped to create a legacy of positive self-esteem, better health, and meaningful opportunities that would otherwise remain out of reach for them” agreed Nathan Gilbert, Executive Director, Laidlaw Foundation

Copies of the report are available at www.laidlawfdn.org/files/Youth_Leaving_Care_report.pdf., or through the contacts below.

About the Task Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working Age Adults (MISWAA)

MISWAA was launched in late 2004 by the Toronto City Summit Alliance
(TCSA) and Toronto's St. Christopher House and comprises over fifty civic
leaders from many sectors including business, academia, community service, and
organized labour, as well as low-income adults and front-line agencies with
first-hand experience dealing with income security issues. MISWAA's goal is
to discover why the current system of income security is failing and to make
recommendations for reform.

The Atkinson Charitable Foundation is MISWAA's lead sponsor. Additional funding is provided by the TD Bank Financial Group, KPMG, United Way of Greater Toronto, Laidlaw Foundation, Law Foundation of Ontario, Maytree Foundation, and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation.

About the Toronto City Summit Alliance
The Toronto City Summit Alliance (TCSA) is a non-partisan coalition of
civic leaders and hundreds of volunteers in the Toronto region, who all share a concern about the challenges it faces including poor economic integration of immigrants, decaying infrastructure, and lack of affordable housing.

About St. Christopher House
St. Christopher House is a Toronto-based neighbourhood centre with 93
years of experience working with diverse individuals, families and groups. It
provides support to people of all ages, including immigrants and people who
are lower-income, and is strongly committed to community development in all
aspects of its work.

For more information or for help in scheduling an interview with any of the experts listed below, contact:

Meg Routley, Project Officer
Toronto City Summit Alliance
(416) 955.4220
meg.routley@torontocitysummit.ca

Experts available for interview in conjunction with the Youth Leaving Care - How Do They Fare? report include:

Rory Gleeson, Children's Service Worker
Children's Aid Society
(Working directly with Crown Wards, Rory is a past president of the National Youth In Care Network, former co-ordinator of the Laidlaw Foundation's Youth in Care Program and a member of the Youth Leaving Care - How Do They Fare? report advisory committee.)

Nathan Gilbert,
Executive Director of the Laidlaw Foundation.
(Executive Director since 1982 and a foster parent of adolescents for 10 years, Nathan was invited by the founding board of the National Youth in Care Network to be one of 8 adults drawn from across Canada to sit on the Board. He considers this his single greatest honour.)

Lynda Manser, Executive Director,
National Youth in Care Network
(The National Youth in Care Network is a national organization located in Ottawa, for youth who are, or were in care, and are under the age of 25.)

Susan Pigott, CEO St. Christopher House
Co-chair of the MISWAA Task Force

Anne Tweddle, Researcher, MISWAA Task Force
Author: Youth Leaving Care: How do they Fare? report