Youth in Care Chronicles:
Reflections on Growing Up in the Child Welfare System
“The authors, for me, quietly honour the youth who still struggle, while still celebrating those that overcome tremendous odds and are able to control the pain rather than allowing the pain to control them. They are fighting back and giving hope to others”. Peter Smyth, Social Worker, Author, Advocate
In Canada, youth from the child welfare system are 200 times more likely to become homeless, 60 times more likely to become victims of sex trafficking, and 5 times more likely to die before they are 30 years of age. Their uncommon lives require uncommon valour to rise above their complex adversities and break through the many barriers they face.
These are the real-life stories of 18 former youth in care as told by them – in voices that are raw and honest and insightful and strong. The authors break down stereotypes and build up respect through sharing what they have survived and what their hopes for the future are. They want other youth to know that they know the struggle is real, that they are not alone, and that life can get better. It is their hope that this book will also serve to inform practice, act as a resource for those who work with children in care and influence meaningful change within the system. Storytelling is a pathway to healing.
All proceeds from the sales of the Youth in Care Chronicles will be used to fund future projects to benefit youth in care. On behalf of the authors and editorial team, I sincerely thank you for your support of this important work.
The Youth in Care Chronicles may be purchased on Amazon and is also available at Audreys Books and The Glass Bookshop in Edmonton. (Please call ahead for availability.)
MESSAGE FROM PENNY LEAD EDITOR & PROJECT MANAGER
I have wanted to compile a book like this for many years and am so honoured and grateful that I was able to connect with these incredible authors and this outstanding editorial team to make it happen. I feel that the stories of children who grew up in the child welfare system have gone unheard and there is so much wisdom we can all glean from their words. Their uncommon lives have required uncommon valour to rise above their adversities and break through the stereotypes they face. I believe that this anthology will raise awareness and, thus, the level of respect they deserve. I am so happy that other youth in care will be comforted and inspired by reading what is inside, and that people working in the field will benefit from the honesty that has been invested in these pages.
I personally want to thank you for taking the time to recognize the importance of this work. My hope is to continue gathering and publishing the many stories that need to be shared. As our author, Shay, states: I want my story to be heard everywhere and the stories of all the other beautiful people who have been through the same things because there are so many of us.
MEDIA LINKS
EDMONTON JOURNAL Accolades, audiences and a national award for project giving a voice to youth in care
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Youth in Care Chronicles Editorial Team
https://www.casw-acts.ca/awards/casw-distinguished-service-award
CBC NEWS Struggles and Triumphs: Young authors create book about growing up in government care by Emily Pasiuk https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/foster-care-ministry-of-social-services-edmonton-alberta-1.5805560
CBC RADIOACTIVE
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhgXF6734hX4hB00xlCjqVyjKQ77
ACSW ADVOCATE One Solid Connection - Social Workers and Child Welfare by Emily Rendall-Watson https://issuu.com/acsw/docs/acsw_advocate_spring_2021/s/11798663
ACSW ADVOCATE Book Offers Hope for Youth in Care by Donald McSwiney https://issuu.com/acsw/docs/acsw_advocate_spring_2021/s/11798660
Radical Practice for Compassionate Connections Allies 4 Youth Connections Webinar with Megan Mierau and Shay Grundberg https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Au2T9bJi8PGd1-8rKtm5Oqt4Vp8LaNS/view
Youth in Care Chronicles Webinar Canadian Association of Social Workers & The Child Welfare League of Canada Webinar with Cody Murrell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6g-w3j9ul4&t=1845s
ENDORSEMENTS
I am amazed when I hear young people talk about their experiences with the child welfare system. I am amazed at their honesty, their willingness to share what happened in their lives, their courage and their insights. I am especially amazed by their generosity in telling their stories; that they might bring comfort and hope to young people who have lived through similar circumstances, and guidance to those who want to help them along their way.
The Youth in Care Chronicles tell us about how these young people lived, about being in care, about the traumas they faced, and the many burdens they carried in their young lives. But more than that, they tell us about where they found their strengths, their tenacity and hope, and how they were able to move towards what they really wanted. They tell us about the people who cared about them, and about what a difference the power of relationships made in their ability to transform their lives.
And these young people tell us this with the power of their own voices, in a stark, straight up, and unapologetic way…as it should be. It’s the best way for us to hear them.
I hope you read this. I hope you are amazed and changed by what these young people have to say.
Del Graff, Child and Youth Advocate of Alberta
The collection of stories shared in the Youth in Care Chronicles is a pivotal resource for every social worker that will firmly ground professional practice to human connection. The real-life experiences shared by the writers demonstrate the necessary survival skills needed when kids grow up in care and face uncertain permanency in their lives. The storytellers shine a light on the child and youth care system and expose the importance of the caring relationship between the social worker and child or youth. The social workers role within this system can (and does) make a positive impact, one child at a time. These stories are a testament to show that through trauma, children and youth can not only survive, but they can thrive, especially when shown care and acceptance. It is a stark reminder that every genuine human connection is an opportunity to build trust, love, a sense of belonging and self-worth. As Cassie writes, “…humanity is always necessary.”
Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW Executive Director (Acting) Associate Director, Professional Practice & Advocacy, Alberta College of Social Workers
I was involved with this project at the beginning and I am now delighted to have been able to comment on this powerful and moving book.
The Youth in Care Chronicles encourages practitioners to reflect upon their practice, discover their biases, and learn about how their lived experience impacts their perspectives in child welfare work. The hope being that they recognize the absolute value of relationship.
The contributors all longed for a life-long connection with a deep level of respect and trust with someone who accepts them for who they are, and who is there to support them when they need help. One contributor summed this up well as, “This caseworker impacted my life because she treated me with care and compassion and made me feel loved. She was committed and never made me feel like a burden.”
Another contributor, Jade, reminds us to acknowledge the resiliency of the ancestors, of family, and the never-ending support from those who have continued to love them. I wish the best for every individual who has lived through trauma and the child welfare system, many of whom will not be so resilient because our systems are flawed. This is why my heart continues to ache. It hurts me to see stories of children experiencing such heartache, especially our Indigenous children which is all too common. We need to do better. “The folds of the system are deep and mysterious. They can take a child and as the system folds over and over, eventually the child is lost, but the longing never goes away”.
Dr. Jean LaFrance, Associate Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary
Once I started reading Youth in Care Chronicles, I could not stop. It was at times painful to read and know that children (through no fault of their own) had to endure so much hurt, rejection and trauma that would last a lifetime. But there was also HOPE
throughout – that even though the youth were often dealt a losing hand at a young age, they persevered, survived, and won! I think that Youth in Care Chronicles should be a required of ALL people that work in child welfare, and how critically important they can be to help children who they regularly come in contact. They may be the one person in that child’s life to make a difference. The book will also be a help to youth currently in care – to remind them that they are not alone, not give up, and believe they can survive and win at life.
Angela Marshall, Director, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Canada, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
I love the cover of the Youth in Care Chronicles. The young man's jacket reads, "The Storm Will Pass", and as a former child welfare recipient of the Sixty Scoop era, my thoughts were so similar, "Everything is temporary."
Seeing children, youth and young adults affected by the separation, displacement of their homes, families, and communities is heartbreaking. Growing up in care is not easy. It is a scary and frightening experience when you walk into your first foster home or group home. There are no familiar faces; you don't have the same bedroom, living room, kitchen, eating habits, and menus are different. The rules and regulations are different in every household. The families you live with may be devoted Christians or come from a diverse ethnic background. Being in the care of child welfare, you have no control over your life.
Social workers can make a huge difference in a youth's life, especially when they take the time to get to know the youth they are working with because culturally, children and youth are the heart of our communities. No matter what age, the child and the youth need to feel that they belong, a chance to be loved, accepted, acknowledged, heard and understood.
Bernadette Iahtail, RSW, Co-founder, Executive Director, Creating Hope Society of Alberta
An engaging collection of meaningful perspectives and lived experiences of those in the child and family intervention system. An essential read for learning about the intimate relational world of social work with resilient youth populations.
Ellen Perrault, PhD, RSW, Dean of the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary
The authors of this book invite the reader into their intimate lived experiences caught up in the child welfare system. The authors shatter stereotypes and reveal humanity; humanity that was always there which this book reveals with strength and sensitivity. A poignant message and quote from the book, “I want people to know that we are people” demands that readers stop and examine their biases and taken for granted discourses prevalent in society. The authors reveal humanity with words that have the power to change stories and change minds.
The authors affirm with the power of vulnerability and sharp intelligence that every child and youth in care is a multi-dimensional individual with unique attributes and potentials that need to be recognized and championed. This book does just that.
This book will be a key addition in Child and Youth Care. It not only deserves but needs to be read with purpose toward change, on individual, collective, institutional, and systemic levels. The authors are experts with heart, agency, and vision for endless possibilities.
Dr. Ahna Berikoff, Associate Professor, Faculty of Child and Youth Care, Grant McEwan University
Powerful! Thank you for sharing youth voices from the Edmonton Youth Speak Out Team. A call to all policy makers, child welfare agencies and permanency families. Lifelong connections and supports are crucial, thank you for highlighting youth voice. Nothing for us, without us!
Cathy Murphy, Executive Director, Adoption Council of Canada
The stories collected in this book are honest, raw, and compelling, offering the reader a glimpse into the experiences of young people in care. It is a must-read for anyone who works with young people and families involved with child welfare. I hope it can be incorporated into required reading material for post-secondary programs such as Child and Youth Care and Social Work. I believe that by daring bravely and sharing their stories the authors will make a difference in the lives of young people.
Michelle Briegel, M.Ed, Certified CCYCC
President, The Child and Youth Care Association of Alberta Assistant Professor/CYCC Fieldwork Director
Department of Child Studies and Social Work
Mount Royal University
Youth in Care Chronicles is both difficult to read and uplifting in it’s ultimate message fo the power of hope, resilience and love. Too many of our children not only suffer at the hands of their families, but then within the very systems designed to keep them safe. It is imperative that child welfare system administrators, frontline workers and allied professionals not only read this book, but take action on the failed processes that simply add to the trauma of abuse or neglect, multiple moves, rotating caregivers, separation and loss that children experience in care. Through it all, though, the voice of the amazing and courageous young adults make the Youth in Care Chronicles a valuable resource for any child or youth who is in care or may be struggling with the impact after foster care. The quest for and the right of every child for a safe and loving family and home is the common theme in each story, as is the ultimate message of hope.
Rita Soronen, President & CEO, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption