Dear Colleagues, On April 12, 2018, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) released a report, Interrupted childhoods: Over-representation of Indigenous and Black children in Ontario child welfare. This report investigated the disproportionality and disparities experienced by Indigenous and Black people in child welfare, confirmed and validated the concerns
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Read the latest Canadian research from the social work sector. This issue we’ve compiled a list ranging from research about mandated reporters and their experiences with the child welfare system to new research about the relationship between child protection contact and mental health outcomes among Canadian adults
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What does anti-oppressive practice (AOP) mean in child welfare? The theory of anti-oppression helps examine the use and misuse of power at the individual, organizational, and systems levels so that families can receive child welfare services in an equitable way. It also recognizes that families can
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When I first started working in child welfare it wasn’t uncommon to hear members of the sector say that “they don’t see colour,” or that they treat all families “the same,” despite the grave disparities pointing to the contrary. All these years later, that thought process
Read more →1. Problem: The Child, Youth and Family Services Act grants Children’s Aid Societies substantial power through legislation. Solution: Working from an anti-oppressive lens encourages child welfare professionals to be mindful of this power and to reflect on how this power can be shared with children, youth, and
Read more →The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) and Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) welcome the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s report, Interrupted childhoods: Over-representation of Indigenous and Black children in Ontario child welfare. The report shines a light on the complex and multi-faceted issues that have contributed to
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A significant investment of $2.1 billion over four years to improve access to mental health care and addiction services in yesterday’s budget is good news for many families involved with child welfare in Ontario. Nearly half of families receive services from children’s aid because of adult mental
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There is reason for growing optimism now regarding mental health services for children, youth, and families in Ontario. Last week, the Ontario government announced $2.1 billion in additional mental health funding over the next four years. This adds to the $3.8 billion spent annually on mental health
Read more →The complex issue of immigration and citizenship facing some youth in care came into the public spotlight this month, when a former crown ward proposed a $200-million class-action lawsuit against the Ontario government by individuals who were taken into the care of a CAS and made Crown
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A Conversation with OACAS CEO, Mary Ballantyne, and Director of Indigenous Services, Karen Hill The federal minister of Indigenous Services, Jane Philpott, called for an emergency summit to be held last month to address the current situation in Indigenous child welfare, which she has likened the horrors
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