Youth in the child welfare system abruptly lose support from the state when they reach the age of majority, regardless of their readiness, or their emotional and financial needs.
This pattern of service removal leads to negative outcomes, including a heightened risk for homelessness, unemployment, poverty, poor mental health and early parenthood.
COVID-19 and the socio-economic upheaval associated with the pandemic are exacerbating the already precarious situation of youth in care.
In March 2020, CWLC and A Way Home Canada convened networks of youth in care and youth alumni from care to increase and coordinate their advocacy efforts, taking part in peer coaching and training sessions, and communicating their joint messages to decision makers and the Canadian public.
The National Council of Youth in Care Advocates is made up of the following individuals and organizations:
Dr. Melanie Doucet
Senior Researcher & Project Manager, Child Welfare League of Canada
Conner Lowes
President, Youth in Care Canada
Sandra Noel
Program Leader, Foster Family Coalition of the Northwest Territories
Ashley Bach
First Nations former youth in care & advocate
Zoe Bourgeois
Program Coordinator, Partners for Youth, New Brunswick Youth in Care Network
Rachel Gouin
Executive Director,
Le CAP – Centre d’appui et de prévention
Alisha Bowie
Program Manager, Adoption Council of Canada
Marcelle Partouche and Dez Grégoire
Coordinators, Montreal Youth in Care Alumni Student Association (MYCASA)
Cheyanne Ratnam
CEO and Co-Founder, Ontario Children's Advancement Coalition
Marie Christian
Program Director, VOICES: Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network
Jessica Knutson (on leave), Holly Anderson, Brittany Rose & Amber Moon
Youth Advisory Committee, Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society
Susan Russell
Campaign Organizer, Fostering Change – First Call BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition
Achievements to date:
The National Council of Youth in Care advocates secured temporary moratoriums on youth transitions out of the child protection system during the COVID-19 pandemic in most jurisdictions.
Under the leadership of Dr. Melanie Doucet, the council has released key recurring recommendations on ‘aging out’ of care that have been put forward by youth in and from care, advocates and researchers from across the country since the late 1980s. Click on the image to the left to access the English report!
The Equitable Standards report is a collaborative effort by our Senior Research and Project Manager, Dr. Melanie Doucet and the National Council of Youth in Care Advocates. Governments and service providers should be held to these standards to ensure transitions to adulthood are healthy and supported for youth in care across the country. Our overarching goal is to ensure that youth in care are afforded equitable supports and conditions for success, so they may thrive and not struggle to survive.
The accompanying Policy Brief, written by academic experts Dr. Doucet and Dr. Varda Mann-Feder, provides an overview of Canada’s position on transitions to adulthood for youth in care in comparison to other Western countries, and outlines key actions that need to be implemented by Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments in supporting more equitable transitions for youth in care across the country.
The Council is currently co-developing universal protocol and policy that will guide healthy and supported transitions for youth leaving care.
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