Experts urge more support for youth in care struggling to graduate

Over the last five years, nearly all Nova Scotia universities and the Nova Scotia Community College launched programs for former youth in care. Almost 180 tuitions have been waived to date, and this September, at least 45 people are getting a tuition break. Jackie Gahagan has spent the last few years studying the effects of these programs, but they don't see outcomes improving. So, here we are in 2026, and less than 50% of kids in care actually finished high school. That's a problem. Gahagan says while tuition waivers are a good start, more supports are needed. Their research found that kids in care tend to struggle in public school because they have to change homes and schools so often. You start in a new school. You have a new peer group. You're trying to catch up on what you missed out on. So having multiple placements during high school is not great for educational attainment. A Senate report last December said youth aging out of care are in crisis. Senator Wanda Thomas-Bernard pushed for that report after working for decades as a social worker in Nova Scotia. She thinks the education and social services systems need to work together to intervene earlier. How do you work with those kids who are difficult to work with? It doesn't mean we shy away from them. It means we need to work harder to reach them. Nova Scotia's Department responsible for kids in care acknowledges a child's school is crucial in their development. The deputy minister told CBC he believes staff are changing outcomes, but that progress may take years or even decades. Shana Luck, CBC News, Halifax.