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This article offers a cross-national comparison of social work in two countries, Australia and Canada, about the care of Indigenous children within the context of colonization and the evolving profession. The discussion is based on data from two empirical studies that examined professional discourse relating to the removal of Indigenous children from their families and Indigenous peoples more broadly within key historical time frames.
The studies involved a content analysis of the flagship journals of the Australian and Canadian professional associations. It is argued that a critical…
ABSTRACT
Cross-sector collaborations are increasingly being relied upon to improve accessibility of prevention and support services for marginalized communities reported to the child protection system. However, little is known about the feasibility, implementation, and impact of such collaborations. This study begins to address this gap by describing the challenges faced by a child protection agency and community organization who partnered to reduce the overrepresentation of Black children reported to the child protection agency through implementation of a parenting support program. Six…
Abstract
Racial disparities in child welfare involvement between Black and White children have been well-documented in the United States, but research in this area is relatively underexplored in Canada. Emerging evidence from Canadian studies indicates that Black families are far more likely to be reported for maltreatment concerns, and that these initial disparities persist as families move deeper into the system. Scholars have begun to identify the factors associated with those disparities in Canada, but there is a need for understanding the larger structural and historical context that…
Abstract
The field of Child and Youth Care continues to expand and the foundational theories that have been central to the development of the field continue to de adapted. However, the increasing diversity of Canada's populations requires the inclusion of multiple theoretical frameworks that can address the needs of the children, youth and families that we encounter. This paper examines the ways in which anti-oppression and anti-racism perspectives can be included as an aspect of CYC thought and practice, with particular relevance to service provision for African Canadian families.
ABSTRACT
Background: The overrepresentation of Black families in child welfare systems across the various geographical locations (e.g. America, Canada, United Kingdom) is a growing concern. There are competing explanations for the causes of overrepresentation and recommendations for eliminating racial disproportionalities and disparities in child welfare system. This systemic scoping review will provide a succinct synthesis of the current literature on Black disproportionality and disparity in child welfare.
Methods/Design: This systemic scoping review will employ Arksey and O’Malley’s…
Abstract
Background
Pandemics have a wide range of economic, health and social consequences related to both the spread of a disease and efforts made by government leaders to contain it which may be particularly detrimental for the child welfare-involved population. This is because child welfare agencies serve some of the highest needs children and families. A significant proportion of these families face economic hardship, and as a result of containment measures for COVID-19, more families inevitably will.
Objective
Given the range of negative consequences related to the pandemic…
Abstract
Background
Despite continuous reports showing the overrepresentation of Black children in the child welfare system in Ontario, Canada’s most populous and ethnically diverse province, knowledge in the factors contributing to this issue remain scarce.
Objective
This study aimed to explore questions relating to caseworker’s training on ethnocultural diversity in connection with racial disparities and overrepresentation of Black children in child welfare services.
Participants and settings
This two-fold mixed-methods study included (1) a qualitative methodology based on…
Abstract
Empirical research is needed to better understand the overrepresentation faced by Black children receiving child protection services in Canada. This article examines rates of disparity using secondary longitudinal clinical-administrative data provided by a child protection agency in Quebec for a subsample of Black, White, and other visible minority children over a ten-year span. It calculates rates per 1000, a population disparity index (PDI), and a decision-based index (DDI) to determine representation by ethno-racial group across decision-points within the child protection…
Abstract
This paper explores the efficacy of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Convention, UN General Assembly, 1989) through the lens of the over-representation of First Nations children placed in out-of-home care in Canada and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia. A general overview of Indigenous worldviews frames a discussion on the coherence of international human rights law and instruments, including the Convention, account for Indigenous Peoples’ ontologies. The authors argue that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of…
Abstract
Foster care is a strong risk factor for youth homelessness, with an alarmingly high rate of unstable housing occurring within several years after transitioning out of care. The current system of care in most jurisdictions forces youth to be financially and socially independent at an earlier age despite insufficient preparation, thereby making the transition out of care an extremely high-risk period. The sudden autonomy in one’s schedule, finances, employment, education, and health can become overwhelming. As a result, engagement with work and school, and even government welfare…