Research report reveals groundbreaking data on the lives of
youth in care in Quebec
MONTREAL and QUEBEC
CITY, April 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Every year in
Quebec, more than 2,000 young
people leave the care of the Director of Youth Protection (DYP) as
they approach the age of majority. For youth under the care of
the DYP, turning 18 means having to become independent quickly,
with little or no support from loved ones. Their academic
background also tends to be less robust than that of peers who have
not had to face such a situation.
The figures are telling: only 37% of youth in care obtain their
high school diploma by the age of 21, compared to 86% of the
general population of the same age. That graduation rate is two and
a half times lower.
Today, the Chaire-réseau de recherche sur la jeunesse du Québec
(CRJ) is unveiling the results of a groundbreaking study conducted
under the leadership of María Eugenia
Longo, professor at the Institut national de la recherche
scientifique (INRS); Martin Goyette, professor at the École
nationale d'administration publique (ENAP); and Marie Dumollard,
professor at the Université de Montréal. The study also benefited
from the invaluable collaboration of Mélissa Ziani (INRS) and
Josiane Picard (ENAP). The report is
titled Portrait des jeunes ayant été placés sous les services de
la protection de la jeunesse et leurs défis en emploi ("A
portrait of youth who have been placed under youth protection
services and their employment challenges").
The report presented by the team reveals a more arduous and
precarious path to autonomy for this category of Quebec youth. In addition to quantitative data
collected from 1,136 young people who have had a placement overseen
by youth protection services, the study also draws on original data
gathered through interviews with 30 young people.
The work was commissioned and funded by the Ministère de
l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale du Québec. It combines
quantitative data from the Étude longitudinale sur le devenir des
jeunes placés (EDJeP, "Longitudinal study on the fate of youth in
care") with the accounts of youth in this situation who were
interviewed for the research.
Highlights
- One third of EDJeP youth are "not in employment, education, or
training" (NEET) at age 21, compared to under 10% of the general
population of the same age.
- Providing a variety of tools and services that are better
suited to a specific period of life would create more stability for
them to be able to successfully complete their academic
careers.
- For EDJeP youth, employment is highly unstable, reversible, and
precarious—most of them work under-skilled jobs in sectors with low
wages and little protection, such as retail, sales, and food
service.
- EDJeP youth without a high school diploma are 5.3 times more
likely to be in the NEET category.
- The more precarious their housing situation is (residential
instability or homelessness) and the longer that precariousness
lasts, the more likely participants are to fall into the NEET
category.
Link to the report
Furthermore, the team's findings showed that EDJeP youth who
succeeded in obtaining qualifying post-secondary education were
more likely to be working in specialized, skilled jobs by the age
of 21.
Respect, dignity, and
autonomy
Among other things, the extensive study found that for young
people, it is essential to offer services that are humane,
empathetic, flexible, and personalized. Given that their
experiences with social services, particularly youth protection
services, have not always favoured their autonomy, well-being, or
progress, some are reluctant to turn to employment
organizations.
"The employment difficulties these young people
encounter reveal institutional flaws that result in significant
disadvantages and social inequalities. To support them properly,
it's vital to address their needs with a view to bettering their
circumstances and bolstering their autonomy, work on access to
available resources, and improve their living conditions. This must
be done in collaboration with employers, who also play a key role
in solutions." — María Eugenia
Longo, professor and researcher in the sociology of work and
youth at INRS and co-holder of the Chaire de recherche sur la
jeunesse du Québec
The research team's analyses showed that feeling encouraged was
directly correlated with achieving a higher level of education. In
their accounts, the young people who were interviewed mentioned
that social ties both in and out of the workplace (particularly
with employers) are key to choosing a job or support service and
deciding whether to stay or leave. Having people to turn to seems
to play an important role in youths' employment journey.
"Our research shows that young people want to
feel welcome and heard and, above all, have their needs,
aspirations, agency, and dignity respected. Pursuing research in
partnership with young people gives partners and decision makers
the opportunity to improve and adapt services and policies."
— Martin Goyette, professor at ENAP and co-holder of the
Chaire de recherche sur la jeunesse du Québec
The report's
recommendations
The research team concluded, among other things, that an
unstable living environment can affect youths' academic and early
career paths. Changing placement within youth protection services
has a direct impact on job retention. The young people who were
consulted for the study recounted being forced to leave jobs
because of changes in placement settings. That is also often the
case for school.
Altogether, these findings highlight the strong links between
employment status and challenges in various areas of life,
including NEET status, gender, parenting, housing situation,
health, and placement experience. They demonstrate the vital nature
of measures that take a global, cross-sectoral, integrated, and
stabilizing approach to supporting young people who have been
placed under youth protection.
The report puts forward solutions such as helping young people
stay in school and get started on their career paths. A global,
cross-sectoral, and stabilizing approach; better preparation for
adult life; and better support after youth reach the age of
majority are also recommended.
"Employment is directly linked to other areas of
young people's lives, such as health, housing, and parenting, all
of which have direct implications for job integration and
retention. Supporting the careers of young people who have been in
care cannot be done without taking this interplay into account." —
Marie Dumollard, assistant professor at the Université de
Montréal's School of Social Work
More broadly, the needs of young people in care may be more or
less similar to those of other young people in Quebec. However, in the absence of obvious
family support, and given the accumulated difficulties to overcome,
institutional and workplace support must make greater efforts to
offer these adults of tomorrow an equal and equitable chance.
Those interested in learning more are invited to attend the
CRJ's virtual lunchtime conference, "Les jeunes ayant été placés
sous les services de la protection de la jeunesse et leurs défis en
emploi" ("Youth who have been placed under youth protection
services and their employment challenges") on Friday,
April 19, at noon. To participate: REGISTER
SOURCE Institut National de la recherche scientifique (INRS)