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The 2022 B.C. budget funds more supports for young people transitioning out of government care into adulthood.

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More help coming for youth in government care

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 10:52 PDT, Wed March 23, 2022

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Young people in government care will have access to new and increased supports until the age of 27, helping them transition to adulthood.

"Young people transitioning from government care deserve to have the same support, guidance and time to grow that their peers rely on," said Mitzi Dean, Minister of Children and Family Development. "That's why we're moving away from the broken system we inherited to support stronger transitions for all youth aging out of care, not just a few."

Budget 2022 funds comprehensive supports for young people transitioning from government care to adulthood, including a new financial supplement, a no-limit earnings exemption, help with the cost of housing, improved access to transition workers, enhanced life skills and mental-health programs, and better medical benefits until age 27.

The new system will be developed and implemented during the next three years, beginning immediately with an ongoing extension to temporary housing supports to allow young people to continue to stay in their home past the age of 19 and until their 21st birthday. When fully implemented, the new supports will be available to up to 10,000 eligible youth and young adults per year.

This is the first time the province has created a comprehensive cross-government approach to supporting youth in and from care.

"We're all better off when we work together and look out for each other," said Finance Minister Selina Robinson. "Supporting youth in care to transition to adulthood the way we would support our own children is one way we're building a stronger society and putting people first."

In Budget 2022, the province will invest nearly $35 million over three years, including increases of $4.6 million in 2022-23, $10 million in 2023-24 and $19.8 million in 2024-25.

People who have been in government care are far more likely to experience homelessness or a mental-health crisis in their lives. Budget 2022 investments aimed at supporting strong transitions for former youth in care are part of a $633 million cross-government strategy to prevent homelessness and keep people housed.

"This investment is an important step toward altering the trajectory of youth leaving government care, which we know can lead to homelessness,” said Lorena Bishop, executive director of the Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks. “We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with government to ensure youth in and from care have the supports and resources they need so they can share their incredible gifts, strengths and talents with the world."

About 1,100 youth transition to adulthood from government care each year, 46 per cent of whom are Indigenous. Between Jan. 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021, emergency housing and the Agreements with Young Adults program measures reached 625 (59 per cent) of the 1,068 eligible young adults who turned 19.

"The investment in the cohort of youth who are aging out of care embeds equity into the community,” said Susan Russell-Csanyi, former youth in care and advocate from the National Council of Youth in Care Advocates. “We know that youth who have lived expertise in government care experience homelessness after leaving that system at a disproportionate rate. As advocates, our hope is that all youth will have access to support and, therefore, look forward to turning 19."

To learn more about the Agreements with Young Adults program, click here.

To have your say on how new supports and services for youth and young adult from care are implemented, click here.