Foster kids facing cuts to program
The Alberta government is moving forward this year to reduce the age eligibility of a program supporting young adults transitioning out of foster care.
The maximum age to qualify for the Support and Financial Assistance Agreements (SFAA) program is dropping from 24 to 22 and will impact about 450 people who will now age out of the program. More than 2,100 vulnerable young Albertans over 18 who were in government care currently receive benefits in the form of financial help for rent, groceries and health benefits.
The proposal to change the eligibility was first brought up by the UCP government in November 2019, but it was stalled by a successful injunction that was overturned by the Alberta Court of Appeal in January. The province then delayed implementation until further notice throughout the pandemic and confirmed Tuesday the eligibility changes are moving forward this year, but didn't provide a concrete timeline.
With the impending changes, one advocate who oversaw the program for more than 30 years said it could lead to devastating impacts on the youth who still require assistance.
Peter Smyth, a former specialist for high-risk youth services in the Ministry of Children's Services, said a reduction in supports could deeply affect some of the young adults still needing help and even force some into homelessness.
“It's not going to be a cost saving because if the youth feel unprepared to be on their own, it's going to increase homelessness, which is particularly frustrating because the government also is in the business of trying to end homelessness and now they could be continuing it,” Smyth said in an interview with Postmedia Tuesday.
When Children's Services Minister Rebecca Schulz promised to delay the transition, Smyth said it was understood that the supports would remain in place until at least next year and now with the changes being implemented earlier, many of the youth feel a sense of betrayal.
NDP Opposition children's services critic Rakhi Pancholi brought the issue forward Tuesday after receiving a memo that child intervention staff will have an information session Wednesday about the plan to support young adults aging out of the program. Pancholi urged the government to reconsider lowering the age eligibility, arguing it will impact the ability for youth to find jobs, especially as Alberta's youth unemployment rate sits the highest in Canada at 18.1 per cent.
“It's extremely difficult for any young person to find work right now, especially for someone who grew up with the kinds of challenges these young Albertans endured,” she said.
In a statement to Postmedia, Children's Services spokeswoman Becca Polak said those aging out of the program will be eligible for an additional six-month support agreement as they transition out of the program to ensure their needs are met. There are also additional programs such as the Advancing Futures Program, which provides funding and social assistance for former youth in care between 18 and 24 pursuing post-secondary education.
“We know transition to adulthood is challenging for young adults especially those who live with trauma,” Polak said in the statement.