What happens when young people leave care at age 18?

Compared to their peers, young people who leave the care of child welfare agencies too often end up in a cycle of persistent poverty, are more dependent on adult social assitance, and too many end up in the mental health or criminal justice systems.

I have heard from many in Manitoba that there is a real problem with a lack of effective transition for children in care when they reach age 18. Children are all of a sudden put out on the street without adequate support. The result is that many such youth end up doing poorly and too many end up in the criminal justice system. It is time to change the approach taken in Manitoba. This change is one of the things that needs to be done to help these young people and to reduce crime.

I want to thank those at the Knowles Centre who raised this issue so passionately when I visited with them.

Those who are interested in more information can visit the following web sites:

http://laidlawfdn.org/files/Youth_Leaving_Care_report.pdf
http://www.torontoalliance.ca/tcsa_initiatives/income_security/press.asp?articleID=422
http://www.torontoalliance.ca/tcsa_initiatives/income_security/news.asp?articleID=421