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The adoption and implementation of the UNCRC across the globe has taken many forms in various countries, as some develop legislations, national policies, and amend current provisions to work towards eliminating all forms of child violence by 2030, as outlined by SDG 16. Systemic disparities pertaining to international conflicts, power dynamics, and resource limitations hinder the progress of achieving SDG 16. This frequently restrains reporting standards, organization development, and just aid to maltreated children. In terms of the Canadian landscape, Canada acts as a pathfinder country in…
There is a lack of research investigating the role of caregivers in the development and prevention of mental health issues and substance use among youth living in care. The goal of this study is to examine the relationship between caregiver characteristics, caregiver attachment and placement type on two dimensions of mental health and substance use among a sample of older youth living in care.
The data used for this study were collected as part of the Ontario Looking After Children project, which was developed to assess the needs and developmental progress of children and young people who…
Abstract:
Introduction:
As a part of the public health approach to child welfare, data about children placed in out-of-home care are needed to assess population trends, understand drivers of social and health inequities, and examine outcomes for children and families. The authors analyzed administrative data from Canada to describe the population of children in out-of-home care, and estimate and compare rates of out-of-home care by province/territory, year, sex/gender, age group and placement type.
Methods:
The authors conducted a cross-…
This paper explores how the COVID-19 pandemic affected care leavers in Quebec, a social group already facing obstacles to social integration.
Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 48 participants and analysed through Castel's zones of vulnerability model.
Results suggest that youth who entered the pandemic with more vulnerabilities were more affected by it in all dimensions of their lives. However, results also suggest that the presence of a strong social support network protects even the most vulnerable ones from being overly afflicted, highlighting the importance…
This study aimed to identify components essential to building a model of care for youth involved in sex trafficking in child welfare. The specific goals of this investigation were to:
- systematically review the literature for programs implemented with child-welfare involved youth at risk of or involved in sex trafficking, and
- examine convergent and divergent evidence through interviews with experts-by-experience (i.e., survivors and child welfare personnel).
Youth aging out of child welfare systems face an abrupt transition to adulthood and expectation for self-sufficiency with few supports. The current study represents a scoping review and narrative synthesis that sought to identify indicators used to measure the success of aging out youth and their corresponding methods of assessment. A database search was conducted and 150 articles were included in the review. Results revealed eight broad indicators of successful transitions, including: education, employment, basic needs, social support and relationships, conduct and victimization, health,…
In this chapter of the book Human Rights and Social Justice, the authors propose a multidimensional framework for conceptualizing the relationship between direct social work practice and social justice. The framework evolved out of research with practicing social workers and directs…
This paper found that there was marked overrepresentation of First Nations children in the child welfare system in Ontario, Canada. These children were three times as likely to be investigated as white children and more likely to be placed when controlling for investigation concerns. The paper concluded that recent policy changes have not brought change to this overrepresentation.
In April 2021, the Child Welfare League of Canada (CWLC), in partnership with the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, led a series of cross-sectoral convenings with the goal of introducing a positive obligation for government and service providers to assist families who are experiencing difficulties in a context of poverty. This three-day event convened people across sectors to gain a better understanding of how the child welfare system responds to the conditions that place families at an increased risk of child protection involvement due to assessments of ‘neglect’. The goal of Beyond…
For decades, First Nations have called for Canada to respect the sacredness of their children and youth by upholding the best interests of the child, substantive equality and cultural continuity. This call has been echoed in numerous reports including, but not limited to, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996), the Joint National Policy Review (2000), the Wen: De Reports (2005), the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2005), A Roadmap to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #66 (2018) and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (…