MOVING TOWARDS EMANCIPATORY PRACTICE: CONDITIONS FOR MEANINGFUL YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN CHILD WELFARE

Abstract

What are conditions that facilitate the development of youth voice in child welfare? This article will build on current literature that emphasizes the critical importance of treating youth in the care of the public system as valued resources and agents of change in their own lives who can contribute to effective service delivery. A focus will be on comparing principles of youth empowerment and the general purpose of child welfare systems in Canada and the United States. Challenges to the implementation of this model will be highlighted and recommendations to facilitate its execution at the individual, organizational, and policy development levels of our youth serving agencies will be made.