Last week, over 50 youth in and from foster care descended upon the BC Parliament for the third year in a row. Policy Solutions Day brings together passionate youth to learn about advocacy, meet directly with decision-makers, and share stories about their experiences in care and their transitions out of MORE
The Parent Support Services of BC (PSS) is currently undergoing a research project that they hope will directly inform social policy and practice changes and legal reform for kinship caregivers. PSS is hosting focus groups for folks aged 19+ who were raised by their grandparents or relative. They are also hosting focus groups for grandparents raising MORE
Are you a young person in or from care or an agency that supports youth in and from care who is looking at bringing people together this holiday season? For the eighth consecutive year, the Fed is offering Holiday Dinner Grants for those looking to create community and celebrate youth in and MORE
McCreary Centre Society’s Youth Research Academy is conducting a longitudinal study to gain a better understanding of how to best support youth transitioning out of government care. They are looking to recruit youth who are currently in government care, or an alternative, and are approaching their 19th birthday (i.e. within a MORE
BC’s Representative for Children and Youth, Jennifer Charlesworth, has issued a statement expressing her extreme disappointment with the federal government’s decision to appeal the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling that ordered compensation for First Nations children and families affected by Canada’s discriminatory on-reserve child welfare system. Read the full statement here.
This week, West Coast Leaf released Pathways in a Forest: Indigenous guidance on prevention-based child welfare. The report highlights efforts by Indigenous families, communities, and Nations to revitalize Indigenous approaches to child welfare, develop comprehensive community-based supports, and fight for self-determination. It centres the voices of 64 caregivers who share their MORE
Canadian Human Rights Tribunal recently issued an important compensation ruling for First Nations children and families. The Tribunal found that Canada willfully and recklessly discriminated against First Nations children. In this ruling, they ordered Canada to pay the maximum amount allowable under the Canadian Human Rights Act to compensate First Nations children, MORE
The Canada Post Awards for Indigenous Students celebrate the hard work and determination of Indigenous peoples who have embraced a renewed pursuit of learning. Applications for the $2,000 awards are open to all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples who have been out of school for at least one year, who have since decided to return MORE
The Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks are now accepting registrations for their upcoming retreat on October 25-29, 2019 at Zajac Ranch. Their retreats bring together youth in and from care from all across the province to learn life skills, have fun, build lasting friendships, direct the work of the organization, MORE
Power Pages is a provincial magazine connecting youth in and from care, service providers, and caregivers across BC. The Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks is currently accepting stories, poems, interviews, photos and artwork submitted by young people. The successful applicants will receive an honourarium of up to $50. MORE
The Youth Futures Education Fund provides living expenses to youth who have aged out of the foster care system and are attending a post-secondary institution on a tuition waiver. The grant assists with supplemental educational funding for expenses such as books, housing, utilities, or emergency situations. Recently the fund made news MORE
A July 3, 2019 news release from the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) announced a regulatory change that expands the Office’s legal mandate to allow the office to advocate for more young adults who have aged out of government care. Young adults up to their 24th birthdays who have aged MORE
Parent Support Services Society of BC (PSS) and the University of Northern BC are conducting a survey on kinship care families in BC. Are you a Kinship Caregiver? Are you raising a child or children of a relative because their parents are unable? (This child lives in your home but the parent MORE
In this year’s BC budget submission, First Call highlights five recommendations from our 2018 Child Poverty Report Card starting with important targeted poverty reduction measures for families living in deep poverty. Our Key Recommendations: 1. Increase income supports for families living in deep poverty 2. Invest in early childhood 3. Ensure MORE
Inclusive Solutions is an international organization that offers a range of inclusion-oriented services including casework, person-centred planning, innovative training and community building. Their website offers a range of research on topics including restorative justice and listening to young people.