Youth need to be part of the decision when aging out of care

Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society is waiting for funding to come through for an employment program that will help youth leaving care.

Providing jobs is one way of answering the question, “Where Do We Go From Here?” as posed by the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate in a symposium co-hosted with the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research. The symposium was the result of a special report on youth aging out of government care. The majority of children in care are Aboriginal.

Cheryl Whiskey Jack, executive director with Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, attended that symposium.

“There is a lot that’s going well and how do we collectively do better at it?” she said. “I think there is a will to do better with our kids, in general, not just those aging out of care.”

There is no doubt, says Crystal Croft, a semi-independent team lead with Spirit of Our Youth Homes, in Edmonton, that there are some children who are not ready to leave care when they turn 18 years old.

“Young adults need to be assessed individually prior to their contract ending,” said Croft.

But it’s not only about assessment, says Whiskey Jack, it’s about opening up communication with the soon-to-be legal adults.
“As a sector we need to get better at planning for that conversation with young persons, that they’re still going to need supports, that nothing magical happens when you turn 18,” she said. “I think for the young people, they can’t wait to have these (caregivers) out of their lives. They can’t wait until they’re done with us and it’s often these kids who need us more. The kids we’re failing are the ones who are struggling.”

There is funding available through a variety of channels that can help kids leaving care but both women agree not all social workers are aware of that funding and not all kids are receptive to meeting the guidelines required to get the additional help.
Croft, who works with a caseload of six to eight youth, understands that one of the difficulties facing kids aging out of care is finding safe accommodations. She transitions youth from ages 15-22 from her organization’s apartment buildings to living in the community. She continues working with the youth after they make the transition if it is needed.

Participants at the symposium suggested new programs and funding to help with appropriate housing.

Croft, who also attended the symposium, found it valuable to bring people together and expose them to youth, who have been or presently are in the system.

“I work with young adults, I hear it all the time but some people…weren’t aware of these issues,” she said.

Croft also holds that family involvement is important for success while a child is in care and family involvement should be less restrictive.

“I think family is a real strong connection and a lot of youth will go back to their family no matter what happened to them,” she said.

Other focuses that came out of the symposium included understanding cultural needs and providing youth with a safety net.

“If the right supports are placed at the appropriate time, I believe it would help. But youth have to make the effort. We can’t always make the effort and the decisions for them. They have to be wanting and willing to do it,” said Croft.