This document discusses extending support for youths transitioning from foster care. Currently, support is tapered off at age 21 but extending it could save the province money in the long run. Many youths feel unprepared to be on their own after care ends. The document advocates for continuing financial, housing, and other tangible supports along with assistance with decision making and emotional support. Stakeholders that could help include a provincial advocate for children and youths and a group of former foster youths. The document suggests ways for readers to get involved like attending transitional care hearings.

1. Extended
Support for
Youths
Transitioning
from Foster
Care.
By: Katherine Armitage, Alexa
Callitsis, Rene Chen & Kristy
Molnar

2. What is Foster Care?

3. What Factors can Contribute to
Youths being Placed in Foster Care?
- Child being removed from the parental
home due to :
• - Abuse
• - Loss of parents (death)
• - Poverty
• - Incarceration - a parent's incarceration in prison or jail.
• - Abandonment -parents have dropped the child at the sitters and never
returned

4. What is the current age in which
support is tapered off?

5. Why do we feel it is important to
extend care?
• 42 % of young adults in Canada aged 20-29 live at
home with their parents.
• Irwin Ellman's report shows that extending care
would actually be more cost effective in the long run
" For every dollar spent, the province would save
$1.36,"

6. "I'm actually terrified because when I turn 21, I have
no one and I will have nothing"

7. What do we want?
• Tangible support; financial, housing.
• Decision-making or problem-solving
assistance;
• Support related to self-esteem; emotional
support
• Providing job training opportunities

8. Who are our stakeholders?
• Irwin Elman
Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children
and Youths.
• Anna Ho & Jason McGuirk, Our Voice,
Our Turn
A group of foster youths and former foster
youths who are advocating for extended
care and support.

9. How did we go about advocating
for extended care?

12. How will we continue to advocate
for this cause?

14. How can YOU get involved?
Transitional Care for all Foster Youths GTA-
Canada.
Youth Leaving Care Hearings.

15. References
Office for the Provincial Advocate of Children and Youth:
www.provincialadvocate.on.ca
Statistics Canada
"25 is the new 21" Pdf Report by : Irwin Ellman
Photos:
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