Street-Involved Youth and the Child Welfare System: Evidence to Improve Outcomes

Across North America children and youth exposed to the child welfare system have notably poor outcomes, including, elevated rates of substance misuse, homelessness, incarceration, unplanned pregnancies, poverty, underemployment, physical and mental health issues. Whether it is the events that precede government intervention or the experiences youth go through during their tenure in government care, research indicates that the child welfare system is not sufficiently protective. The outcomes for youth who age-out of government care are also troubling, as the transition into independence is fraught with challenges as services are abruptly terminated at the legal age of majority in BC. While there is growing concern for this highly vulnerable population and several targeted interventions have been developed, little has been done to assess the impact of these efforts on health outcomes and behaviours. Specific questions driving the proposed research include: do permanent and family-based care arrangements have significantly better outcomes than group-care or residential institutions? Do youth who age-out of care demonstrate elevated rates of HIV risk behaviour, substance misuse, incarceration, and homelessness? Do independent living models and extension of care past the age of majority mitigate these effects? Drawing on data from a longitudinal cohort of over 700 street-involved youth who use illicit drugs, this research proposal seeks to study the impact that targeted interventions to support youth in, and aging out of, the child welfare system have on health outcomes. This study will be undertaken at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS at St. Paul's Hospital. It is hoped the proposed research will inform future policy interventions to improve the child welfare system, especially among those who age-out of government care.