Category 1: pathways into homelessness
What does ‘aging out of care’ mean?
Aging out of care is when a young person leaves child welfare because they reach the legal age cut-off, rather than leaving through permanency such as reunification, guardianship or adoption
Youth in care are at higher risk of homelessness largely because they lose access to what type of support when they “age out” of care?
Stable housing and ongoing adult/financial support.
What does overrepresentation mean in social work?
Overrepresentation refers to a situation where a particular group makes up a higher proportion of the child welfare system than their proportion in the general population, often reflecting systemic inequality.
True or False: Most homelessness is caused only by ‘bad decisions’?
False.
Name one support youth need immediately after leaving care
Immediate access to stable, safe, and affordable housing.
Name one common age when youth may lose many child welfare supports
18 years
What age-related policy barrier often contributes to homelessness among youth transitioning out of care?
Aging out of care at 18 (or 21 in some provinces), which ends housing, financial, and case management supports
Name one group that is often overrepresented in the child welfare system?
Indigenous (First Nations) children and Black children are often overrepresented in Canada’s child welfare system.
True or False: Youth leaving care always have a family they can return to?
False.
What is ‘transitional housing’?
Time-limited, supported housing that helps youth develop skills for independent living.
What is one reason youth leaving care my struggle to keep housing in the first 6 months?
Some reasons include lack of income to cover rent and deposits, no family safety net or reliable adult support, unstable employment and school disruption during transition, and mental health or trauma related challenges that make stability harder
How does the lack of affordable housing create a structural barrier for youth leaving care?
Youth often leave care with limited income, no rental history, and no co-signer, making it difficult to secure housing in a competitive market.
How can racism or colonialism show up in the child welfare pathway?
Racism and colonialism can show up through increased surveillance, biased risk assessments, and Eurocentric parenting standards, which make Black and Indigenous families more likely to be reported and have children removed
What is a harmful myth about youth homelessness that impacts how services treat them?
A harmful myth would be that youth out of acre are lazy and that is why they are homeless. This is a stereotype that ignores the trauma these kids go through and how much the system and the world fail them.
What is “Housing First” and what is the main idea behind it?
A model providing immediate permanent housing without preconditions, based on the idea that housing is a fundamental right and foundation for stability
What is housing instability, and how can it show up before homelessness?
Housing instability means a person’s living situation isn’t stable or secure. It can look like having to move often, staying temporarily with friends or relatives (couch-surfing), living in short-term or unsafe places, or constantly being at risk of eviction.
Why do youth in care often experience homelessness at higher rates than their peers, even when they are motivated to succeed
Because child welfare, housing, education, and income support systems are poorly coordinated and often end support abruptly
What does ‘intergenerational trauma’ mean?
Intergenerational trauma refers to trauma passed down across generations due to historical oppression, such as residential schools, affecting mental health, parenting, and trust in systems.
What does it mean when people describe homelessness as an ‘individual failure’ rather than a structural issue?
It means the individuals in the situation are easy targets and therefore get blamed because it is easier said than done. Rent prices being high, not enough resources and no help when an individual is struggling are topics people are not and will never be ready to talk about
Give 2 examples of prevention strategies for youth before they leave care
1. Extended care policies that allow youth to remain in care beyond 18.
2. Life skills training programs in areas like financial literacy and employment readiness
Explain how ‘multiple placements’ can increase homelessness risk later in the future?
Multiple placements disrupt stability in areas such as school, relationships, and attachment; making it much more difficult to build support networks which increases the risk of housing instability and homelessness after exiting care
From a political economy perspective, how does underfunding of child welfare and housing systems contribute to homelessness among youth in care
Chronic underfunding prioritizes cost-saving over long-term stability, shifting responsibility onto youth who lack the resources to succeed independently.
Explain how policies can look ‘neutral’ but still cause unequal outcomes for youth in care
Policies may appear neutral because they apply the same rules to everyone, but they can create unequal outcomes when they ignore structural inequalities like poverty, racism, and cultural differences.
Why can ‘resilience’ be a dangerous word if systems use it to avoid responsibility?
Resilience becomes harmful when systems use it as their cover up in order to ignore structural problems that need to be fixed and then expect youths to fight pass these problems all on their own.
What is one policy-level solution that could reduce youth homelessness
Implementing Housing First for Youth as a formal policy to provide immediate housing and integrated supports.