MAPPING DISPARITIES FOR BLACK FAMILIES IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM

Child Welfare and Out-of-Home Care Research

About

In partnership with One Vision One Voice, the goal of the Mapping Disparities for Black Families (MDBF) Project is to better understand the context of involvement and decision-making for Black children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system in Ontario. We are working to understand how anti-Black racism manifests within the system and to identify key areas where disparities emerge, are maintained, and can be meaningfully addressed with substantive policy, organizational, or practice change.

Publications

Findings Related to the to the Impact of Poverty: MDBF Report

Laylor, A., Edwards, T., Aina, F., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to the impact of poverty. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Overview of Findings Related to the Impact of Poverty: MDBF Information Sheet 7

Gallina, T., Aina, F., Laylor, A., Edwards, T., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2025). Overview of findings related to the impact of poverty (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #7). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Findings Related to the Supervisory Relationship: MDBF Report

Chowdhury, R., Aina, F., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to the supervisory relationship. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Overview of Findings Related to the Supervisory Relationship: MDBF Information Sheet 6

Gallina, T., Chowdhury, R., Aina, F., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2025). Overview of findings related to the supervisory relationship (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #6). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Findings Related to Allegations of Physical Abuse: MDBF Report

Edwards, T., King, B., Ukwu, G., Gallina, T., Bennett, L., Laylor, A., Facey, K. & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to allegations of physical abuse. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Overview of Findings Related to Allegations of Physical Abuse: MDBF Information Sheet 5

Edwards, T., King, B., Gallina, T., Bennett, L., Ukwu, G., Aina, F., Chowdhury, R., & Laylor, A. (2025). Overview of findings related to allegations of physical abuse (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #5). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Findings Related to the Eligibility Spectrum: MDBF Report

King, B., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Facey, K. & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to the Eligibility Spectrum. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Overview of Findings Related to the Eligibility Spectrum: MDBF Information Sheet 4

King, B., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Facey, K. & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Overview of findings related to the Eligibility Spectrum (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #4). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Background, Purpose, and Methods: MDBF Technical Report

King, B., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Smith, C., Facey, K., & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Technical report describing background, purpose, and methods. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Study Overview: MDBF Information Sheet 3

King, B., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Facey, K., & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Study overview (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #3). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

Absence of Language: MDBF Information Sheet 2

Gallina, T., Bennett, L., Ukwu, G., Aina, F., Chowdhury, R., Laylor, A., King, B., & Edwards, T. (2025). Absence of Language (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Information Sheet #2). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.

The Over-Representation of Black Children in Ontario Child Welfare. Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #1

Bonnie, N., Facey, K., King, B., Fallon, B., Patrick-Drakes, V., Evi, A., Edwards, T. , Joh-Carnella, N., & Black, T. (2023). The Over-Representation of Black Children in Ontario Child Welfare. Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #1. Toronto, ON: Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies. 

Understanding the Over-Representation of Black Children in Ontario Child Welfare Services

Bonnie, N. & Facey, K., King, B., Fallon, B., Joh-Carnella, N., Edwards, T., Kagan-Cassidy, M., William, K., Black, T., Patrick-Drakes, V., & Anucha, C. (2022). Understanding the Over-Representation of Black Children in Ontario Child Welfare Services. (Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2018). Toronto, ON: Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies. 

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Youth Wellness Lab

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

University of Toronto