Sweeping changes to how one agency supports young people aging out of care are leaving members panicking over whether they will have to camp or couchsurf in the new year.
Southeastern Children and Family Services, which works with eight First Nations in Manitoba, has a unit dedicated to preparing 15- to 21-year-olds for independent living by connecting them with community partners.
Based on need, adolescents and young adults living off-reserve are referred to supportive housing facilities such as Kildonan Commons and Villa Rosa.
Southeast Children and Family Services at 472 Notre Dame Ave. (Michaela McKenzie/Free Press)
Several adult tenants said Free press This fall, CFS social workers told them they would have to move out on their own by the end of 2025.
They said funding restrictions were cited as the reason for the eviction of residents aged 18 and over.
The Manitoba Government and Employees Union confirmed its members had been warned. South East CFS is changing the way it supports young people growing up in care.
MGEU, which represents about 130 Southeast employees, including admissions and social workers, did not provide any further details.
“I don’t know if I will remain homeless after December 31,” one of the residents living in a building with full support for young people told the publication. Free press.
“It's hard to find a place. It really is. I looked. I tried – I did everything in my power to get the ball rolling.”
The resident said Southeast, which serves families from Brokenhead, Black River, Hollowwater, Bloodwein, Behrens River, Poplar River, Little Grand Rapids and Pauingassie First Nation, gave them “false hope” by connecting them with a third-party organization that helped develop a now-defunct transition plan built around stable housing.
The person noted that the social worker on his case shared information with him about the Winnipeg shelter system and how to apply for employment and income assistance.
“The agency expects us to be at the bottom of society. They don't expect anything from us, so we'll become nobodies,” they said, describing feeling frozen in panic and disconnected from reality during the holiday season.
Individuals affected by child support changes upon reaching adulthood are no longer wards of CFS because they are legally adults.
They entered into voluntary contracts, known as continuation of care agreements, with Southeast to continue receiving assistance, including financial assistance, until they turn 21. The future of this funding remains uncertain amid these changes.
Their names and other identifying information are being withheld to protect their vulnerable status.
“Your 18th birthday gift shouldn't be that you're alone and all the support you need to live a healthy lifestyle is gone,” said Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Children and Families Society of Canada.
Blackstock said for many Indigenous youth across the country, reaching this milestone birthday means losing out on comprehensive support.
Indigenous leaders want their members to thrive, but they can only do so much with insufficient and inflexible funding, she said by phone from Ottawa.
Blackstock urged Manitobans to contact the group's agencies and offices directly to find out what support is available to them.
Government officials need to hear from the people running the system to understand the consequences of adopting policies “behind a napkin,” she added.
Neither Southeast CFS Executive Director Rhonda Kelly nor Lee Bornhorst, who oversees age of majority programs, responded to requests for comment.
According to the agency's website, children raised in foster care are connected to mental health services, housing and cultural programs that help them transition smoothly into adulthood.
“It's really sad and shocking the way they are developing,” said one frontline worker who receives referrals to help teenagers aging out of care find a place to live.
The worker did not have permission from his employer, a third-party agency that works closely with Southeast, to discuss the overhaul.
They say little planning has been done and vulnerable young people are facing the consequences.
The Southern Indigenous Care Network said its affiliate was “reviewing rates and care plans with all (young adults).”
The chain's CEO, Shirlene Esham, said in a statement that the process could include members moving into the government rental market.
Esham urged victims to contact their agency or her network for answers.
“CFS agencies will not put young people in a situation where they become homeless,” she said in a statement.
One teen said his CFS worker did not provide timely, straight answers for much of the past year.
They say chronic delays in communication have only added to their stress, uncertainty and fear of imminent eviction.
The resident said on-call staff at his assisted living facility helped them open a bank account, get a driver's license and find a therapist.
The teen said he was grateful for the advice but didn't have concrete answers about his specific case or funding status.
“Sometimes I just want to lie in bed,” they said, noting that their plans to return to school and find work have been put on hold indefinitely while they find alternative housing.
A spokeswoman for Family Services Minister Nahanni Fontaine said in a statement that the province is monitoring the agency.
Indigenous Services Canada said Tuesday it was studying the changes.
Maggie McIntosh
Reporter by education
Maggie McIntosh talks about education for Free press. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, her first stint as a reporter for Free press in 2017. More about Maggie.
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