The Significance of Relationships in Black Youth's Narratives of Out-of-Home Care in Ontario's Child Welfare System

Abstract

For youth in the child welfare system, relationships can be a catalyst for change and resilience. Child welfare workers are responsible for caring for youth, ensuring their permanency, and—wherever possible—maintaining relationships between youth and their families. Unfortunately, not all youth feel supported during their time in out-of-home care (OOHC). For black youth, research has begun to document the challenges and disparities they face while in the child welfare system. Given the adversities that black youth and families face across the child welfare continuum, there is a need to investigate the interactions between child welfare workers and black youth. This study explores the narratives of 27 black youth with lived experience navigating OOHC in Ontario's child welfare system and their relationships with child welfare workers. Three main narratives emerged: 1) the impacts of worker instability and unavailability; 2) the need for transparency, safety, and youth voice in decision-making; and 3) what relationships meant to black youth and how they can be strengthened. Recommendations include maintaining transparency and inclusion in decision-making, addressing factors that impact workers' capacity to build meaningful relationships, training focused on the impacts of anti-black racism, and supporting black youth in building relationships with their families.