"Strengthening Our Youth": Their Journey to Competence and Independence: A Progress Report on Youth Leaving Manitoba's Child Welfare System

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In August 2010, the Office of the Children's Advocate (OCA) commenced a progress review of the recommendations made in an earlier report, Strengthening Our Youth: Their Journey to competence and Independence (2006). In that report, the OCA examined the conditions facing youth in care as they transitioned out of the provincial child and family services system into adulthood. The findings in the report were not encouraging. The OCA found that many youth did not complete high school, became parents too soon, were often referred to income assistance programs and sometimes faced homelessness. These findings were consistent with the large body of similar findings both across the country and internationally. Some countries had already recognized the societal and economic impact when young people are not adequately prepared to live independently and legislated programs and services for youth beyond the age of majority to prepare and support them to become self sufficient. After a comprehensive review of local, national and international programs for youth transitioning from care, the OCA made 45 recommendations to the Department of Family Services and Labour and the Child and Family Service Authorities to improve services to youth leaving care in Manitoba.