In CBC News’ recent article, “I feel like I have no one’: Aging out of foster care leaves youth struggling with life skills” by Kendra Seguin, Cynthia, a young person who aged out of Ontario’s child welfare system after her 23rd birthday shares that it’s been one of the most isolating experiences of her life. With no one to turn to, Cynthia’s story echoes the reality of many youth from foster and group home care who are left to navigate adulthood alone.
At StepStones for Youth, we felt compelled to respond.
We want Cynthia and every young person aging out of the child welfare system to know that there are people and organizations who will walk beside them to prepare them for life beyond the system. At StepStones, we provide consistent, long-term support and mentorship to help youth build deserving and empowering futures rooted in stability, connection, and care.
“Most of these young people have only had paid professionals in their life to care for them and support them. When those individuals are no longer there, who is left? In most cases, no one is left.”
We are grateful to CBC and Kendra Seguin for shining a spotlight on our organization in this most recent article, “Ontario youth aging out of foster care say they need more support. These groups are stepping in”. We encourage you to take a moment to read and share the article to raise awareness of the challenges faced by youth involved in child welfare, and to help ensure no young person ever feels like they are alone on their journey.
