Ageing Out of Care or Transitioning from Care
Ageing out of care is often the most difficult time or transition a young person in care will go through.
Most of us have had social workers, community workers, group home staff, or foster families (or all of the above) for years prior to ageing out, but when we age out at age 18 or 21 (Sec 56), we lose all supports, funding, and housing, and we are on our own. Often our transition plans consist of instructions on how to access Social Assistance programming. This can be seen as further trapping youth in the system.
Through various research projects with Young people preparing to transition out of care, as well as alumni of care, we have been able to identify that most young people leave care feeling underprepared for inter- or independent adult life. This most often looks like gaining total independence without having had the life skills development necessary to feel secure in managing adult life. Through multiple research projects, funded by external grants, and in partnership with youth in and from care in Saskatchewan, the SYICCN developed our Youth in Transit: Growing Out of Care transition manual.
The Youth in Transit: Growing Out of Care manual, created in partnership and consultation with 200+ youth and alumni from care, is a manual/workbook made by youth for youth to assist young people before, during, and after their transition from care. Within the manual are 10 modules that young people identified as key areas of focus for successful transitions from care:
Identification
Health and Wellbeing
Housing and Healthy Living
Money Management and Financial Education
Education
Employment
Supports and Healthy Relationships
Parenting
Youth Justice
Life Skills
Download a digital copy here Youth in Transit: Growing Out of Care
For physical copies of the manual, please email stephanie@syiccn.ca.
