BLACK YOUTHS’ NARRATIVES OF THE ONTARIO CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM
Child Welfare and Out-of-Home Care Research
Youth Health and Mental Health Research
About
Part of the Rights for Children and Youth Partnership, these studies explore the narratives of 27 Black Caribbean youth (ages 16-26) navigating in out-of-home care in Ontario’s child welfare system. In-depth interviews revealed the ways in which anti-Black racism shaped their experiences navigating placement instability, settings that felt like jail, mental health service use, cultural identity and beliefs, education, and their transition from care.
Publications
“It’s not a system of care”: Black youth’s stories of family separation and anti-Black racism in Ontario’s child welfare system
Edwards, T., Kiara Clarke, M., & Laylor, A. (2024). “It’s not a system of care”: Black youth’s stories of family separation and anti-Black racism in Ontario’s child welfare system. Journal of Black Studies, 55(3), 232-252. https://doi.org/10.1177/00219347231220677
“I wasn’t enrolled”: Exploring the educational narratives of Black Caribbean youth navigating out-of-home care in ontario’s child welfare system
Edwards, T., Brisbane, M., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Parada, H., & King, B. (2023). “I wasn’t enrolled”: Exploring the educational narratives of Black Caribbean youth navigating out-of-home care in ontario’s child welfare system. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-023-00955-8
Pushed, dropped, or fleeing from care: The narratives and adultification of black youth who have aged out of Ontario’s child welfare system
Edwards, T., Chowdhury, R., Laylor, A., Parada, H., & King, B. (2023). Pushed, dropped, or fleeing from care: The narratives and adultification of black youth who have aged out of Ontario’s child welfare system. Child & Youth Services, 0(0), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/0145935X.2023.2173565
Many households but never a home: Stories of resistance from Black youth navigating placement instability in Ontario’s child welfare system
Edwards, T., King, B., Risidore, J., & Parada, H. (2023). Many households but never a home: Stories of resistance from Black youth navigating placement instability in Ontario’s child welfare system. Journal of Youth Studies, 26(9), 1219–1239. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2022.2080539
When home reminds me of jail: The carceral nature of out-of-home care for Black youth in Ontario’s child welfare system
Edwards, T., Laylor, A., King, B., & Parada, H. (2023). When home reminds me of jail: The carceral nature of out-of-home care for Black youth in Ontario’s child welfare system. Children and Youth Services Review, 155, 107309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107309
“We were in White homes as Black children:” Caribbean youth’s stories of out-of-home care in Ontario, Canada
Akuoko-Barfi, C., McDermott, T., Parada, H., & Edwards, T. (2021). “We were in White homes as Black children:” Caribbean youth’s stories of out-of-home care in Ontario, Canada. Journal of Progressive Human Services, 32(3), 212–242. https://doi.org/10.1080/10428232.2021.1931649
Point of View: A Photovoice Project
This Photovoice project with YWCA Scarborough engaged nine young women of colour, ages 14-18, using photography and critical dialogue to capture and discuss anti-Black racism, mental health, gender equity, and body positivity through youths’ lenses.
Improv for Well-Being and Connectedness
In partnership with the Second City Toronto and YWCA, the YWL explored improv’s potential to enhance well-being in young women of colour, youth experiencing homelessness, and in strengthening youth-adult partnerships.
Transit Access Project: TAP for Youth
Founded by UofT students, TAP for Youth works with Toronto-based shelters, a transitional youth home, and frontline service providers to document the impact of free transit for youth experiencing homelessness. The YWL’s Stephanie Begun serves as one of TAP’s faculty mentors. Project findings will be shared here and on Instagram @tapforyouth
