B.C. children’s watchdog calls for extra help for foster kids past 19 years old

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Brittany Palmer is shown in an undated handout photo. Palmer finished high school living on her own in an apartment paid for by the British Columbia Ministry for Children and Families and worked part-time to pay for anything over and above the 00 a month the ministry provided for food. She was one of the more than 8,000 children in government care in the province at any given time. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ho-Brittany Palmer

VANCOUVER – British Columbia’s children’s watchdog says the province needs to stop cutting off children in government care when they turn 19.

As many as 700 children “age-out” of the foster care system in B.C. every year.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond says without proper support those children are less likely to get a higher education and more likely to struggle with unemployment, crime and homelessness.

She says children need help with a transition that can be challenging for any young person.

In her latest report, the representative for children and youth in the province, makes several recommendations, including extending care up to age 25 for young adults attending post-secondary education.

She also says a youth secretariat should be put in place to help all former foster kids up to age 25 to get the health care and social services they need.

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