Year: 2018 Source: Victoria, BC: Author, 2018. 40 p. SIEC No: 20180302

For the period of January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2016, 1,546 youth and young adults aged 17-25 years died from causes classified as accidental, suicide, undetermined, natural or homicide. Of these deaths, 200 (13%) deaths were among youth and young adults who at age of death or at age of majority were in care, were former children in care, or were on independent youth agreements or receiving extensive support services. These young people leaving government care died at five times the rate of the general population of young people in British Columbia. Although many young people leaving care or youth agreements show great resilience and strength as they transition to adulthood, they also face many more challenges than their peers. They may lack a family support network, have limited or no financial resources, often lack life skills, and often have not completed school. They may suffer from low self-esteem and be scarred by trauma associated to violence, childhood neglect and/or abuse. To better understand these deaths and identify prevention opportunities, a death review panel appointed under the Coroners Act was held in December 2017. The circumstances of 200 young people who died while transitioning to independence from government child services between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2016 were reviewed in aggregate. The panel was comprised of professionals with expertise in youth services, child welfare, income support, mental health, addictions, medicine, public health, Indigenous health, injury prevention, education, law enforcement and academia.