Province extends CFS support for youth aging out of care

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This article was published 08/04/2020 (2338 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Young adults scheduled to move out of Manitoba’s child-welfare system within the next six months will continue being supported by provincial Child and Family Services amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the province announced Wednesday.

The decision comes after the federal government and several other provinces decided over the past few weeks not to cut off support for youth who are reaching the age of majority and would otherwise age out of the system.

It means more than 280 youth in care turning 18, and about 70 young adults with extended CFS agreements that typically expire at age 21, will still receive financial support, housing and other resources until Sept. 30.

Families Minister Heather Stefanson announced in a news release those who were set to age out between March 20 and the end of September will be eligible.

As part of the announcement, the province said it is also opening up 10 housing units for youth who have aged out of CFS care through Resource Assistance for Youth, a non-profit agency that works with homeless youth.

Advocates who’ve been working with youth and families involved in the child-welfare system had been calling for Manitoba to follow in the footsteps of B.C., Ontario and Saskatchewan by issuing a moratorium on aging out of care during the public-health crisis and time of economic uncertainty.

Natasha Reimer-Okemow, Manitoba director of Youth in Care Canada and a former youth in care herself, said the province’s announcement is a step in the right direction.

“These individuals have been dependent on the system, the system has acted as their parent in that guardian role for x number of years. I think it’s wrong and unethical to just toss somebody out amidst a pandemic just because they turned 18, or because they aged out of care at 21,” the 26-year-old said.

“These young adults deserve a lot more, and they deserve better, and I think this is a step in that direction of them… ensuring that they are safe and feeling protected as they are trying to navigate life and also deal with the uncertainty of COVID-19.”

When she aged out of CFS care five years ago, it was scary enough without a pandemic, Reimer-Okemow said.

Youth who’ve grown up in care are typically worried about supporting themselves and figuring out how to access housing, medications, counselling, transportation and even just someone to turn to, she said. “I remember for years I didn’t have anybody to put down as my emergency contact… because when I was in care, it was just my social worker, but then when I aged out of care, I didn’t have anybody.”

Other CFS authorities made moves last week, without an official decision from the province, to keep youth in their care from aging out. Now, CFS agencies across the province have a consistent direction to extend support to all youth who would otherwise be aging out of care, advocates said.

Marie Christian, director of Voices, an organization that works with Manitoba youth in care, said Wednesday’s move is the first step toward positive change — which she suggested could include focusing on preventing children coming into CFS care with child care, breakfast programs and other support for families.

“I think we need to be keeping in mind that Manitoba has the highest per-capita rate of kids in care in general, so even once this pandemic passes… we will need everyone’s support to ensure better outcomes for kids in care,” she said.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay