The Promoting Positive Outcomes for Youth From Care project was a prospective, British Columbia study designed to examine what happened to youth following their exit from government care. The project followed 37 youth over a 2.5 year period between 2003 and 2006; data were collected through a series of four face to face interviews, scheduled 6-9 months apart, using both an openended and fixed choice interview format. As another aspect of the research, the project provided “peer support” to the youth.

This paper reports on the life circumstances of the youth participants from Time 1 to Time 4. As with the two previous reports (Baseline Report on Findings; Bulletin of Time 2 Findings), findings presented in this Final Report continue to present a disquieting picture of youths’ life circumstances. Not unlike existing North American literature on youth from care, youth from this study were found to: have a lower level of education; be more likely to rely on income assistance as their main source of income; have a more fragile social support network; experience considerable transience and housing instability; and be parenting. In relation to criminal activities, youths’ involvement with the criminal justice system declined over time. However, subsequent to leaving care, they continued to be victimized in various ways.

A striking finding was the relationship between mental health issues and parenting — the majority of participants who were parents also reported mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety; similarly, the majority of participants who had mental health issues were parents.

As well, in stark contrast to recently released census data highlighting the growing trend for young people to reside in the parental home well into their 20s, the majority of youth in this study did not live with their parents or other family members. Moreover, once these youth turned 19 they no longer had their “state parent” for support.

In sum, study findings led to the conclusion that what is needed is a rethinking of existing government policies, programs, and priorities, along with the role of communities and families in supporting youth from care. Central to this rethinking is our key message and primary recommendation: —that youth from care need to have as gradual and extended a transition process to adulthood as youth in the general population.