Children placed under the responsibility of the Directorate of Youth Protection (DPJ) are less likely to complete their secondary education than others, indicates a study commissioned by the Quebec government and which was published this week.
The study conducted by researchers from several Quebec universities indicates that only 37% of foster youth had obtained their high school diploma by the age of 21, compared to 86% for all other children.
It also reveals that a third of these young people find themselves unemployed, without studies or without training at the age of 21, compared to less than 10% for the general population of the same age.
“Through the difficulties that these young people encounter in employment, we observe institutional flaws which lead to disadvantages and notable social inequalities,” declared María Eugenia Longo, professor at the National Institute of Scientific Research and one of the main authors of the study, in a press release.
The study found that more than 2,000 young people leaving the youth protection system each year need increased support to prepare for adult life and to ensure they have a suitable living environment stable as quickly as possible after their release.
Researchers also found that unstable living environments, such as changes in youth protection placement, make it more difficult for young people to remain employed, noting that young people who were still in care often had to leave their jobs or change schools if they moved.
Jessica Côté-Guimond, the director of the Collectif Ex-Placé DPJ, emphasizes that children placed under the responsibility of the DPJ can live in five to nine different homes.
“Residential instability during placement is one of the strongest predictors of instability in adult life,” she said in an interview. She added that those who had more instability while in care were at higher risk of experiencing homelessness, having mental health problems or “not being in training or job “.
Mme Côté-Guimond argued that young Quebecers in care need more resources as they age out of the system.
“What this reveals to us is that there is a major lack of support, of support in terms of the transition to adult life to help young people,” she said.
Mme Côté-Guimond said other provinces, such as British Columbia and Ontario, have done a better job helping children leave care. And although a program offering financial assistance and mentoring is available in Quebec, it only exists in four out of 17 regions, creating inequalities within the province.
She said support for young people must come from the ministries of Education, Higher Education and Employment, as well as youth protection authorities.
More psychological help is also needed to help both children facing trauma and those with learning disabilities, she argued, adding that resources for these types of needs are often limited in schools. .
Many young people who have gone through the child welfare system end up in adult education programs that don’t offer the type of specialized support they need, she said.
The study, carried out between February 2023 and February 2024, focused on data from 1,136 young people aged 16 to 24 who had benefited or were benefiting from youth protection. The researchers also conducted interviews with 30 of these young people.