Human Resources committee  Of course.

Human Resources committee  The statistics on aging out are not great by any stretch. I alluded to some of those statistics around homelessness. The Child and Youth Permanency Council of Canada did an aging out report with WAGE for four years. We did a national report, and all of the numbers are there. Irwin Elman has also been an incredible advocate with us and continues to advocate, even though he no longer has an official role.

Human Resources committee  Good afternoon, Ms. Chabot. It's good to see you. Yes, we would hope that there would be flexibility within this legislation so that a family could make that decision for themselves. For example, when our daughter joined our family in China, we lived in China with her for two and half weeks before we returned to Canada, and we started the leave on the day she came into our care even though we weren't back in Canada yet.

Human Resources committee  First of all, we've adopted both internationally and through the public child welfare system. When you adopt internationally, you are making an active decision to adopt a child. I will use a quote. It's when we learn and know better, we do better. I have definitely learned along the way, as has my husband and as have our children.

Human Resources committee  Thank you for the work you've done in the past as well.

Human Resources committee  I think there could be an uptick. I think we also need to provide a great deal more in the way of supports and resources. You'll probably be hearing from Adopt4Life and the Child and Youth Permanency Council about that too, because this is just the beginning of the journey. For example, my own family has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on therapies, supports and treatment programs for our son alone.

Human Resources committee  Definitely, many of our children, if not all of them, have experienced some form of developmental trauma. Finding mental health supports and people experienced with developmental trauma is a challenge right now in Canada. It's definitely a challenge that adopted families face. I would like to also shine a spotlight on those children and youth who are not finding permanency families and are not being adopted.

Human Resources committee  Julie and I, our families and supporters, Adopt4Life and the Child and Youth Permanency Council of Canada have been advocating on this one issue for over six years. It should be a non-partisan issue. It was a non-partisan issue. I think it becomes partisan at times. You asked me honestly, so I am telling you honestly.

Human Resources committee  It says, “We value you, and we value the work you're doing.”

Human Resources committee  Thank you.

Human Resources committee  If I can say one more thing, I just want to thank Shelley and Cassie for being here today.

Human Resources committee  It is 1,700 a year are who are finding some form of permanency. It may be adoption. There may be kinship caregivers or customary caregivers as well.

Human Resources committee  Permanency families are important for children and youth because without them they don't have a safety net. They don't have anybody there to support them through challenging times. I think of our children at 27 and 32. We are still touchstones for them constantly. We have been able to give them that permanency.

Human Resources committee  What that means is that they are available to their child or youth, who has joined their family through adoption, to build those routines and attachments. It's showing up, just like I was talking about, and being there for them. Even if a youth is joining their family at age 12 or 13, it's really important for that parent or caregiver to be there, to be able to meet them after school or to maybe take them out to their favourite lunch spot over lunch hour once a week, because that's usually the only way you're going to get them out to lunch.

Human Resources committee  Thank you, Shelley. That was well said. Good afternoon. My name is Cathy Murphy, and I'm the chairperson at the Child and Youth Permanency Council of Canada. I worked in child welfare and social services for just over 35 years and retired in this past year. I've had the true privilege of working with adoptive families, kinship caregivers and customary caregivers right across Canada, but most importantly today, I am an adoptive parent.