SFAA Cuts May be Halted by Edmonton Mother Seeking Injunction

A 21-year-old mother from Edmonton is seeking an injunction that would prevent Alberta from dropping the maximum age for an assistance program.

Last fall, the UCP government indicated that the maximum age for Support and Financial Assistance Agreements (SFAA) would be dropped from 24 to 22 years of age. This change is slated to take place on April 1.

SFAA provides assistance to young adults as they transition out of the child intervention system. If the injunction is granted, nearly 500 Alberta residents would be able to keep their benefits next month.

The woman, identified by the initials A.C., has requested changes to SFAA be delayed until her lawsuit is resolved. She says the earlier age cutoff will ultimately result in a higher cost to the province.

A.C. is concerned that individuals who are currently supported by the SFAA program will be at greater risk for relapse, homelessness, or having their children taken from them. She says the program has helped people like her break the cycle of violence and addiction.

Children who have grown up in the care of the government are provided assistance through SFAA to help set them up for adulthood and the responsibilities that come with it. They work with a designated social worker who helps them set and achieve goals that will help them prepare for a sustainable adulthood.

SFAA youth workers help in a variety of ways, such as providing bus passes, transportation to appointments, and assistance with emergencies in the middle of the night. These services are tremendously valuable to youth who do not have parents or other family to help them through life’s challenges.

“I worry about all the other youth,” A.C. said in an interview with CBC. “I’m going to be the fighting voice for them.”

When A.C. was 11, her father reportedly went to prison for murder and her mother beat her repeatedly. She moved into a trap house a year later where she was provided with drugs and alcohol. She says she would black out and wake up to find that she was being sexually assaulted.

She had a baby when she was 16, which motivated her to turn her life around so she could support herself and her child. The SFAA program has helped her work toward her goals. She reportedly receives $1,990 per month to help pay for rent and childcare while she pursues her education.

A.C. says her social worker has supported her as she completed a pre-employment course. She has also been able to create a home that is alcohol-free, which benefits her young daughter. A.C. intends to transfer to university and work to help other young people overcome obstacles in their lives.

When A.C. learned that the maximum age was going to be dropped to 22, she worried she would fail to reach her goals.

“The first thing that went through my mind was that I would have to return to sex work,” A.C. said in an affidavit filed earlier this month in Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. “It made me feel disgusted but I don’t know any other way to make the money I need to support myself and my family. I don’t have any other skills or work experience.”

The age for SFAA recipients rose from 22 to 24 in 2013 in recognition of the heightened challenges young people face when they transition out of care. Many of them have histories of trauma and complex needs that make it more difficult for them to transition into adulthood.

Although 18 is the age most commonly associated with the beginning of adulthood, brain development reportedly can continue until a person turns 25. For those with traumatic childhood experiences and no family support, the responsibilities of adulthood can be an even greater challenge.

Some experts are concerned that the abrupt return to a maximum age of 22 will ultimately result in a higher cost to taxpayers as many of those who are aging out are the parents of young children. Without continued support from SFAA, they may be at higher risk.

“We remain committed to better supporting young adults until they are 22 so they have the skills needed to successfully transition from child intervention services into adulthood,” press secretary Lauren Armstrong from Children’s Services said in an emailed statement to CBC.

“We have reviewed the circumstances of each young adult affected by this change to ensure we align supports with their individual needs and to begin transitioning to other government programs, as appropriate.”

Do you think the maximum age for Support and Financial Assistance Agreements should be kept at 24 or lowered to 22-years-old? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!

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