B.C. Liberals continuing to fail kids in care, report shows
January 12, 2015 (VICTORIA, BC) - A new report confirms that the B.C. Liberals are continuing to fail children in care, say the New Democrats.
“New numbers showing that a majority of former foster kids end up on social assistance sadly confirms what we’ve known for a long time: the Liberal government is failing B.C.’s kids in care,” said New Democrat spokesperson on children and family development Doug Donaldson.
Donaldson noted that with the report, the Ministry of Children and Family Development finally got around to providing some hard data on welfare and education levels of young people aging out of care, and the numbers are devastating.
“The government is legally the guardian, in effect the parent, when it comes to children-in-care. With all the resources at their fingertips, their own data shows they can do no better than a 27 per cent high school graduation rate. This is a glaring example of what the ministry would typify as poor parenting, yet the ministry is the guardian and the minister decides the standards,” said Donaldson.
“This government is failing to properly prepare these children for a better chance at success as adults.”
Donaldson said that the B.C. Liberals should be the ones with the resources to demonstrate what good parenting looks like and instead we have a minister who has ignored these bleak outcomes for more than two years in the job and a premier who doesn’t make our greatest natural resource, our children, a priority.
“The Liberals say that they want to give B.C.’s kids the best opportunities for the future, but they fail to follow through with attention and resources, especially when it comes to some of our most vulnerable young people.”