The Problem

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58%

58% of youth experiencing homelessness were previously involved with child protection services. (ii)

66%

66% of youth from foster care drop out of high school, compared to 15% for the general population. (ii)

70%

70% of youth who are homeless have experienced some form of abuse. (iii)

57%

About 57% of youth coming from child welfare are unemployed and those who are employed are living below the poverty line. (iv)

50%

50% of adolescents coming from juvenile justice systems will be homeless within six months because they lack life skills, have limited education and no social support.

(i) Nichols, N., Schwan, K., Gaetz, S., Redman, M., French, D., Kidd, S., O’Grady, B. (2017). Child Welfare and Youth Homelessness in Canada: A Proposal for Action. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press
(ii)www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/breakingthecycle/report/2012/appendix.aspx
(iii) Raising the Roof: Youth Homeless in Canada: The Road to Solutions, 2009, Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies, 2011
(iv) http://www.covenanthousetoronto.ca/homeless-youth/facts-and-stats
(v) http://provincialadvocate.on.ca/documents/en/25istheNew21.pdf

The Cycle of Dependence

Youth who leave the care system lack supportive role models, lack guidance and exposure to other ways of life. Furthermore, those who need support are often the youth who do not access services because of distrust and previous negative experiences with the system. A cycle of dependence on the system is created.