Province considers future of teens in care

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This article was published 27/03/2020 (2348 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba has yet to make a commitment to ensure teens in the child-welfare system don’t age out of receiving care during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it could be on the horizon.

Ontario moved this week to keep supporting young adults in its provincial child-welfare system amid concerns about the virus. Ontario Premier Doug Ford issued a moratorium on youth aging out of care Thursday, as reported by APTN News. Asked whether Manitoba will do the same, a Families department spokesperson said the province will have more to say on the issue in the coming days.

Currently, Manitoba teens age out of child-welfare care at 18, but some can receive an extension of care until age 21. Further extensions of those agreements may occur in light of the pandemic, the department spokesperson said in a statement.

“COVID-19 creates additional challenges and we will be working with these young adults, their agencies and care providers to ensure they get the supports they need throughout these challenging times,” it stated.

During a news teleconference with reporters Friday, Premier Brian Pallister didn’t rule out a moratorium. In response to a question posed by APTN, Pallister said “everything’s on the table.”

“We’re looking at what we can do to maintain services at the highest possible level in the face of massive, massive challenges, and so in terms of issues such as the one you just raised, I wouldn’t dismiss them. Our first and foremost concern is of course to protect vulnerable people, and the group you’ve just mentioned is vulnerable.”

He said the provincial government is working as fast as it can to sort out “dozens and dozens” of issues that have arisen in the wake of COVID-19.