Maple Ridge safe house for at-risk teens slated to close Dec. 31

The closure of a safe house for at-risk teens in Maple Ridge has advocates fearing it will force their vulnerable youths back onto the streets.

Funded through a federal program, the Iron Horse Youth Safe House is closing at the end of December because it is no longer eligible for financial help. Since 2005, the safe house has helped 1,200 homeless teens, who were escaping unstable home environments, find support, stability and family mediation.

Iron Horse takes teens aged 13 to 18 years and provides a safe home for them for up to 30 days. It is one of only two safe homes in the Lower Mainland to take teens under the age of 16.

“We seem to have landed in a no funding zone and I think we are going to lose a really, really important resource here if we can’t find a way to find some funding together,” says Iron Horse executive director Stephanie Ediger.

“To either save the safe house or really address the needs that the safe house is addressing at this time.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We seem to have landed in a no funding zone and I think we are going to lose a really, really important resource here if we can't find a way to find some funding together," says Iron Horse executive director Stephanie Ediger.</p><p>"To either save the safe house or really address the needs that the safe house is addressing at this time."

The safe house is looking to the provincial government for help saying the responsibility for the safety of children and youth rests with the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

However, the ministry released a statement saying their practice is not to refer young people to a safe house. Instead, their strategy is to focus on working with the teen to develop safety or care plans that will lead to placement in a supportive, more permanent situation like a foster home.

While the ministry does acknowledge the youth house’s role in supporting many ministry-involved families and youth throughout the years, Ediger says “often it takes a long time to get from a homeless situation to an appropriate placement or independent living.”

And during that time of transition is exactly where Iron Horse comes in.

“We’ve had the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s back for 10 years now and youth have to find somewhere to be while services are being put in place,” Ediger says.

If Iron Horse cannot get a commitment from the province, they hope to somehow bring other funding to the table.

While people will be counting down to the New Year, workers and youth at Iron Horse will be counting down to what could be the end of their time in Maple Ridge.

~ with files from Grace Ke