Understanding the over-representation of Black children in Ontario child welfare services

Abstract

<p>This report describes maltreatment related investigations conducted in Ontario in 2018 that involved Black children and compares these investigations to those involving white children. </p> <p>These analyses present data from the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2018 (OIS-2018), the sixth provincial study of maltreatment-related investigations conducted in the province. </p> <p>The report was prepared by the OIS-2018 Research Team at the request of One Vision One Voice, a program of the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies.</p>

“It’s Not a System of Care”: Black Youth’s Stories of Family Separation and Anti-Black Racism in Ontario’s Child Welfare System

“…The shortcomings of Ontario's child welfare system in the lives of Black families have been documented for years in Canada. In 2018, Black youth (ages 0-15) were overrepresented in Ontario's child welfare system as they represented 7% of the child population, but accounted for nearly 14% of all child maltreatment investigations (Bonnie et al, 2022). During this period, Black youth were more than twice as likely to be investigated for child protection concerns when compared to white youth.…”

“…During this period, Black youth were more than twice as likely to be investigated for child protection concerns when compared to white youth. Once investigated, these racial disparities continued for Black youth across the child welfare continuum as they were 16% more likely to be substantiated for child maltreatment, 15% more likely to be placed in OOHC during the investigation stage, but 21% less likely to be transferred to ongoing services (Bonnie et al, 2022). Although only 3% of Black children and youth in Ontario are placed in OOHC (Bonnie et al, 2022), research exploring their experiences and outcomes has unveiled concerns about anti-Black racism in the form of unjust scrutiny, pathologizing, oversurveillance, criminalization, and the invalidation of Black caregivers' ability to parent (Edwards, Brisbane, et al, 2023;Mohamud et al, 2021).…”

“…Once investigated, these racial disparities continued for Black youth across the child welfare continuum as they were 16% more likely to be substantiated for child maltreatment, 15% more likely to be placed in OOHC during the investigation stage, but 21% less likely to be transferred to ongoing services (Bonnie et al, 2022). Although only 3% of Black children and youth in Ontario are placed in OOHC (Bonnie et al, 2022), research exploring their experiences and outcomes has unveiled concerns about anti-Black racism in the form of unjust scrutiny, pathologizing, oversurveillance, criminalization, and the invalidation of Black caregivers' ability to parent (Edwards, Brisbane, et al, 2023;Mohamud et al, 2021). Anti-Black racism not only impacts the caregivers', but also has lasting impacts for Black youth who are taken into state care as it limits contact with their biological families which is associated with longer stays in OOHC (McWey & Cui, 2021).…”