Post Transition Support for Children & Youth

Performance Indicators

The transition from youth to young adulthood – or from one service to another – is a challenging time for all individuals, but it can be particularly difficult for children and youth in care (CYIC), those with special needs or mental health challenges, or those who are part of our youth justice (YJ) system.

5.36 Youth Discharged from Care and Subsequently Claiming Income Assistance (IA): Expected to Work within Six Months of Transitioning into Adulthood.

Rationale

The ministry assists and supports the transition to adulthood for any child in Care who turns 19 years old. Among desired transitions is employment, further education or training. Moving to IA when “Expected to Work” is not a desired outcome (this differs to receiving entitled disability benefits ‘Person with Disabilities (PWD)’). This is an indicator of how effectively the ministry prepares youth to transition to adulthood.

Since January 2014, the overall provincial rate of youth in Care turning 19 and claiming IA: Expected to Work has typically varied between 4% to 17%

While the percentage of youth that transition into adulthood and access IA but are Expected to Work is an indication of youth that have not effectively transitioned to adulthood, the former youth in Care may also access other income supports from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction’s BC Employment and Assistance programs. Of the 80 youth who accessed any IA or PWD supports within six months of transitioning into adulthood (they may access more than one type of support in the six months from transitioning into adulthood), 92.5% of the youth accessed PWD assistance. PWD assistance is an income and asset tested income support program for adults with severe mental or physical impairment that is likely to continue for two or more years, which significantly restricts daily living activities continuously or periodically for extended periods resulting in the need for assistance/supervision.

The above graph shows the rates of accessing IA: Expected to Work within six months, 7 to 12 months, and 19 to 24 months of transitioning into adulthood. The rates for a specific month display the rates on IA: Expected to Work at the various time periods for the same group of CYIC transitioned into adulthood. For example, the rates at March 2012 show for youth that transitioned into adulthood from care between April and September 2011 the rate of youth that accessed IA: Expected to Work within the next six months (up to March 2012); the rate the same group of April to September 2011 transitioned into adulthood accessed IA: Expected to Work within 7 to 12 months after transitioning into adulthood (up to September 2012); and the rate the same group of April to September 2011 transitioned into adulthood accessed IA: Expected to Work within 19 to 24 months after transitioning into adulthood (up to September 2013).

The rate of youth transitioning into adulthood from Care and accessing IA: Expected to Work within 7 to 12 months has fluctuated between 3% to 13% since January 2014, and the rate of youth accessing IA: Expected to Work within 19 to 24 months has fluctuated between the same range.

5.56 Youth Who Claim IA: Expected to Work within Six Months of Transitioning into Adulthood from Youth on Youth Agreements (YAGs)

Rationale

The ministry assists and supports the transition to adulthood for youth under a youth agreement (YA) that turn 19 years old. Among desired transitions is employment, further education or training. An undesired outcome is youth who turn 19 years old and claim IA benefits with the expected to work designation. This is an indicator of how effectively the ministry prepares youth to transition to adulthood.

Since January 2014, the rate of youth transitioning into adulthood from Youth Agreements and claiming IA: Expected to Work within six months has shown some variation, fluctuating between 2% and 18%. Over the last twelve months, to March 31, 2023, this indicator averaged 3.4%.

While the percentage of YAG that age out and access IA: Expected to Work is an indication of youth that have not effectively transitioned to adulthood, YAG may also access other income supports from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction’s BC Employment and Assistance programs. Of the 25 youth who accessed any IA or PWD supports within six months of aging out (they may access more than one type of support in the six months from aging out), 52% of the youth accessed PWD assistance.

PWD assistance is an income and asset tested income support program for adults with severe mental or physical impairment that is likely to continue for two or more years, which significantly restricts daily living activities continuously or periodically for extended periods resulting in the need for assistance/supervision.

The rates on IA: ETW in the table above are for the same cohort of former youth with a YAG over different time periods since transitioning into adulthood. For example, the rates at March 2012 show for youth that transitioned into adulthood from YA between April and September 2011 the rate of youth that accessed IA: ETW within the next six months (up to March 2012); the rate the same group of April to September 2011 transitioned into adulthood accessed IA: ETW within 7 to 12 months after transitioning into adulthood (up to September 2012); and the rate the same group of April to September 2011 transitioned into adulthood accessed IA: ETW within 19 to 24 months after transitioned into adulthood (up to September 2013).

5.57 Young Adults Transitioning Out of Continuing Custody (CCO), or YA, that Receive Financial Assistance through the AYA Program

Rationale

A strategic priority of MCFD is to ensure young adults formerly under CCO or YAs successfully transition to adulthood and receive the services and supports that they need to lead healthy and productive lives. The AYA program provides supports and services to finish high school, learn job skills from a vocational program, attend college or university – or complete a life skills or a rehabilitative program.

The AYA program was expanded from October 2016 by increasing the duration of support from 24 to 48 months and the age limit from 24 years to the 26th birthday. A further expansion to the program became effective April 1, 2018 by raising the maximum age limit to the 27th birthday and the funding to approximately $1,250 per month; and the payment months from eight to twelve to cover summer breaks. The analysis below does not include data on new post-majority support services announced in 2022.

Of the 779 young adults who aged out from CCOs or YAG from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, 34.4% received at least one AYA benefit payment within twelve months. For the province and the majority of SDAs, there was relatively greater proportion of Non-Indigenous young adults on an AYA benefit than for Indigenous young adults. Vancouver/Richmond SDA has the greater uptake to the AYA program across all SDAs in the province.

From January 2016 this performance indicator has experienced an upward trend increasing from 19% to reach 34% in March 2023. This trend was mainly due to the increase, by 24 percentage points, in the proportion of non-Indigenous young adults (9 percentage point increase for Indigenous young adults) benefiting from the AYA program in the first year after aging-out of CCOs and YAG. The positive trend is expended to continue significantly reflecting the further enhancements to the AYA program.

The mapping of the Service Delivery Area is based on the office a young adult aged out from.

Of the 937 young adults who aged out from  In Care, Out Of Care, Youth Agreement or Section54  from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, 47.3% received at least one Post Majority benefit payment within twelve months. For the province and the majority of SDAs, there was relatively greater proportion of Non-Indigenous young adults on an AYA benefit than for Indigenous young adults. Vancouver/Richmond SDA has the greater uptake to the AYA program across all SDAs in the province.