Half of kids in care don't finish high school, and far fewer complete post-secondary
Atlantic Tuition Waiver project examines how to raise education outcomes for former youth in care
asserted
project → finish → care
This fall, at least 45 students started post-secondary programs across Nova Scotia funded by tuition waivers specifically for people who were in government care.
asserted
who → start → care
In the last five years, many post-secondary institutions in the province started offering the tuition waivers, part of an effort to change educational outcomes for a group that’s been disadvantaged for decades.
asserted
that → start → decades
But according to a researcher studying the effect of these programs, much more needs to be done to help this group of young people.
uncertain
more → accord → people
“As we look over time, we see the educational attainment of kids from care is not improving,” said Jacquie Gahagan, who leads the Atlantic Tuition Waiver project and is associate vice-president of research at Mount Saint Vincent University.
asserted
who → look → University
Gahagan noted that less than 10 per cent of former youth in care go on to finish post-secondary education.
asserted
cent → note → education
The researcher also said less that 50 per cent of kids from care in Canada even finish high school, a statistic they described as "a problem.”
asserted
they → say → problem
By comparison, data from the province of Nova Scotia and Statistics Canada show an overall high school graduation rate of over 90 per cent.
asserted
data → show → cent
Tuition waiver programs launched in Atlantic Canada around 2020 and Gahagan saw a chance to study them from inception.
asserted
Gahagan → launch → inception
They’ve learned waivers help, but more support is required.
asserted
support → learn → ?
This includes mental health support, mentoring, and sometimes food or housing assistance.
Most tuition waiver programs cover school fees but the student is responsible for added expenses such as room, board, textbooks and laptops.
Senate examines issue
Sen. Wanda Thomas Bernard pushed for the Senate to examine outcomes for youth aging out of care in a national report released in December.
Decades of experience as a social worker in Nova Scotia taught her that the system of services has a “patchwork” quality where students who do well in school tend to get more support.
“But I thought, well, what about the ones who aren't doing so well?
asserted
who → include → ones
They need that help more than anyone else,” she said in a recent interview.
asserted
she → need → interview
Sen. Wanda Thomas Bernard spent decades as a social worker in Nova Scotia before becoming an independent member of the Canadian Senate.
asserted
Bernard → spend → Senate
She believes the child protection and education systems don’t have enough wraparound support to help kids through the trauma of being removed from their family.
asserted
systems → believe → family
She said that trauma often comes out in behaviours at school, and the focus becomes on fixing or controlling the behaviour rather than inquiring about the reason behind it.
asserted
focus → say → it
“How do you work with those kids who are difficult to work with?” she said.
asserted
she → work → kids
“Doesn't mean we shy away from them.
asserted
we → mean → them
It means we need to work harder to reach them.”
asserted
we → mean → them
'Directly into poverty'
Gahagan believes changes at the federal level are needed, including better data collection on outcomes and a national child and youth advocate.
asserted
changes → believe → outcomes
They also believe work needs to be done at the provincial level, but they credit Nova Scotia for implementing the Path program, which allows former youth in care to receive biweekly financial support up to age 24.
asserted
youth → believe → age
The money can be used for any purpose, including education.
asserted
money → use → education
- N.S. bill aims to extend support for youth in foster care who age out of the system
-
asserted
who → aim → system
When it comes to aging out in N.L., the system is ‘leaving a lot of young people behind’
asserted
system → come → people
The province did consultation and research before starting Path in 2024, and released some of its work through access-to-information requests earlier this year.
asserted
province → do → requests
The briefing notes described how youth in care often do not graduate from high school, which means they transition “directly into poverty.”
asserted
they → describe → poverty
One note written in 2021 described how in the previous 10 years there were 730 youth who aged out of care in Nova Scotia.
asserted
who → write → Scotia
The note said nearly 60 per cent sought income assistance at some point.
asserted
cent → say → point
Programs like Path and post-secondary tuition waivers are meant for young people after they turn 19.
asserted
they → mean → people
Gahagan is calling for more attention to kids’ schooling while they’re still in the care system.
asserted
they → call → system
Former kids in care have spoken to CBC about the disruption of bumping between multiple foster care and group home placements.
asserted
kids → speak → placements
Gahagan said their research shows that’s a big problem.
asserted
that → say → ?
“You start in a new school.
asserted
You → start → school
You have a new peer group, you're trying to catch up on what you missed out on,” they said.
asserted
they → have → what
“That means we're not focusing on educational attainment, we're focusing on moving this person as needed for placements.”
asserted
we → mean → placements
Jill Barkhouse, the Department of Opportunities and Social Development’s executive director of child and family well-being, said a child’s school experience is “crucial” in their development.
asserted
experience → say → development
She said her department works with the education system to share information and try to help kids succeed.
asserted
kids → say → information
She said an example of this is a dedicated consultant role that’s shared with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to help kids make the transition between schools.
asserted
kids → say → schools
Gahagan said former youth in care often express a sense of embarrassment or personal failure about education.
asserted
youth → say → education
But Gahagan does not see it that way.
asserted
it → see → ?
“This is a symptom of a bigger problem, which is to say: we're not focusing on the educational attainment of kids in care.
asserted
we → say → care
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
