Why do people attend college or university? While there are many reasons to do so, a widely accepted outcome of completing post-secondary education is increased opportunity. Gaining and keeping stable employment at a higher income than a high school graduate is significant.

In Canada, median incomes for bachelor’s degree graduates are 47 per cent higher then those with a high school diploma. Nearly 75 per cent of employment growth in Canada is connected to occupations requiring a post-secondary credential. Currently, the majority of those with lived experience in Canada’s child welfare system are not completing high school. This contributes to youth unemployment.

More targeted efforts by provincial and federal governments are required to monitor and evaluate health, social, economic and educational impacts on the lives of those who have experience with child welfare systems.

A recent national study on youth homelessness by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness included 1,103 youth respondents who experienced homelessness. Among these youth from 47 different communities across Canada, more than 60 per cent had a history of involvement with the child welfare system.

Those with experience in the child welfare system face emotional challenges related to trauma, abuse and neglect. In addition, they contend with multiple changes in their living situations and schools. As a result, they generally have less education: for example, former youth in care are less likely to have graduated from high school or to........

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