Opportunities in Transition: An Economic Analysis of Investing in Youth Aging out of Foster Care in their 20s

Fostering Change

Fostering Change commissioned this research to provide an economic perspective on the challenges and opportunities associated with youth aging out of government care. The three reports consider: (1) current educational, economic, social and wellness outcomes; (2) the costs of those outcomes; and (3) the costs of increased supports in relation to the potential savings and benefits they offer.

This series of reports offers important new insights into the economic consequences and issues for youth aging out of care in British Columbia, Canada.

The findings are very clear. First, youth aging out of government care do not receive the same financial, social and other supports that most young people receive from their parents. Second, educational, economic, social and wellness outcomes are poor for many youth aging out of government care. Third, the immediate and long-term costs of these adverse outcomes are very high — hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Last, the cost of increased supports is small relative to the potential savings and benefits to youth from care, and to society as a whole.

Click the thumbnail image to view the summary report.

Reports in the series include:

Report 1 of 3: Educational, Economic, Social and Wellness Outcomes

Report 2 of 3: The Costs of the Adverse Outcomes 

Report 3 of 3: Opportunities for Increased Support

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