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Outcomes

Key outcomes should be tracked for young people who spend more than 18 months in out-of-home care. Some of this information could be tracked by the Reviewers. Some long-term outcomes could be tracked through data matching with other information systems or through follow-up surveys with a sample of young people who have left care.

Educational Achievements

Indicator measured through school records, such as high-school graduation, credit and grade-level attainment, grade level relative to age, EQAO scores, or successful transition from section 23 classes to mainstream.

Data Source	Timeframe for reporting	Examples from other jurisdictions
CPIN, reviewers and Ministry of Education	Within three years	NA

Employment

A key long-term outcome that could be tracked through regular follow-up surveys of random samples of young people who have left care. Data matching could also be considered to track social assistance use, a proxy indicator of employment.

Data Source	Timeframe for reporting	Examples from other jurisdictions
Post-care survey and data matching	Three years	Youth Discharged from Care and Subsequently Claiming Income Assistance (IA) (British Columbia, 2015b: See Performance Indicator 5.36)

Youth Crime

Recidivism rates are already being tracked for secure custody youth serving dispositions of six months or greater in the Youth Justice system. YJ convictions (while in care or post-care) should also be tracked for all other youth who spend at least 18 months in child welfare or children and youth mental health residential care.

Data Source	Timeframe for reporting	Examples from other jurisdictions
Youth Justice	Within one year	Proportion of youth in care involved with YJ (Quebec, Trocmé et al., 2013) Looked after children convicted or subject to final warning (UK Government, 2014: See Chart 14)

Life Success Follow-Up Survey

On a cyclical basis a random sample of young people who spent at least 18 months in out-of-home care should be surveyed to assess their educational and vocational outcomes, employment, housing, connection with family and friends.

Data Source	Timeframe for reporting	Examples from other jurisdictions
Follow up survey	Every three years	Follow up with former foster youth at age 26 on outcomes such as homelessness; perceived social support; current school enrolment and postsecondary drop out; progress paying back student loans; employment, income and benefits; physical and mental health; pregnancy and parenthood; criminal justice system involvement; life satisfaction (Courtney et al., 2011)