Budget 2022 supports stronger transitions for all youth aging out of care

Watch the video announcement with Mitzi Dean, Minister of Children and Family Development, and advocates from the Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks, the National Council of Youth in Care Advocates, and the Youth Advisory Council.

​Under Budget 2022, the Ministry of Children and Family Development is creating a co-ordinated suite of services and benefits to support young adults from care. The new system will be developed and implemented during the next three years, beginning immediately with an ongoing extension to temporary housing supports to allow young people to continue to stay in their home past the age of 19 and until their 21st birthday.

2022

• Beginning April 1, 2022, there will be an indefinite extension to temporary housing supports to allow young adults to continue to stay in their home past the age of 19 and up to their 21st birthday, including Temporary Housing Agreements and Temporary Support Agreements. Housing options will be provided by maintaining the current COVID-19 temporary emergency housing measures up to a young adult’s 21st birthday, allowing young adults to stay where they are living or transition to independence when they are ready. No age cap has been placed on these measures to provide stability to young adults through the COVID-19 public health emergency.
• The ministry will also maintain flexibility for the Agreements with Young Adults (AYA) life-skills, rehabilitative and mental health program options to support low-barrier access for eligible young adults.
  • Young adults on AYA may continue to:
    • have flexible access to funding while attending life-skills, mental health, and rehabilitation programs;
    • take programs online, in-person, or take a combination of life-skills programs that focus on the areas that are important to them – including cultural connections; and
    • participate in mental health/rehabilitation programs. Hourly requirements for mental health/rehabilitation programming are indefinitely reduced to five hours per week.
• An earnings exemption will be introduced to encourage young adults to pursue employment knowing there will not be a reduction in their financial benefits.
• Young adults will be provided with rent supplements up to $600 per month on top of other income supports to help them secure safe, stable housing.
• New transition workers will be introduced within the ministry and in Delegated Aboriginal Agencies to support early and ongoing transition planning, beginning at age 14, and help young people from care to navigate the new and existing government services until their 25th birthday.

2023

• Funding will be available to support young people in accessing life-skills, cultural, and skills training programs, and enhanced dental and medical benefits, including counselling.
• Young people from care will receive with one year of financial support ($1,250 per month) until their 20th birthday, regardless of whether they are participating in programs.

2024

• Enhanced supports will be provided until the age of 27 – including an expansion to program eligibility, an unconditional income supplement of $1,250  until age 20, and monthly funding of up to $1,250 up to age 27 for those participating in eligible programming, inclusive of 84 months of program support (from 48 months).

Resources for Youth and Young Adults:

• Youth and young adults should speak with their MCFD or DAA worker for more information.
• Youth and young adults can call Provincial Centralized Screening 24/7 at 1-800-663-9122 to connect with a social worker.
• Youth and young adults can also contact the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) at 1-800-476-3933 for support.
• Youth and young adults can also be directed here.
• A Guide to Rights for Young People in Care.
• To make a complaint or share a concern about an experience you have had with the ministry regarding services received, call 1-877-387-7027 or visit this page.