Support office works to help youth in care in pandemic times

An office of two people has been helping Saskatchewan youth in government care navigate uncertainty during the pandemic.

Youth who are in the foster care system or have come out of it or young offender custody may lack social supports or struggle with mental health during these difficult times, which is why they’ve relied on the non-profit Saskatchewan Youth in Care and Custody Network (SYICCN).

“We’ve been trying to make sure we support these young people. It means a lot of late night phone calls when the office is technically closed,” said Richard Rothenburger, provincial outreach coordinator for SYICCN. “Their lives don’t stop at 5 o’clock on Friday, and they don’t start again on 9 a.m. Monday.”

COVID-19 has amplified issues of access to housing, schooling and mental health resources. Shutting down libraries and other public spaces meant some people were without internet access or a phone, and it revealed how the pandemic has unevenly affected people who are in poverty, rely on social supports and struggle with mental health issues.

It’s been difficult to keep up with the increased needs of youth, Rothenburger said, but he is proud of all the work the team of two has provided over the past six months.

The biggest achievement has been the moratorium on youth “aging out” of the foster care system so that the care provided to people transitioning out of foster care doesn’t immediately end at age 18.

Rothenburger said it was a “huge victory” for youth in care. The province signed the agreement in March and extended it to Jan. 5, 2021.

He hopes this progress for supporting youth made more vulnerable due to the pandemic will lead to the creation of readiness programs as another way to ease the pressure of transitioning out of foster care into independent living.

Part of the work done through the SYICCN is to remove the stigma of being in government care or custody and celebrate how youth prevailed despite the circumstances, Rothenburger said.