EDUCATIONAL PURSUITS AND GOALS FOR ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE BLACK AND IN CARE: INSIGHTS FROM YOUTH, CAREGIVERS, AND CHILD WELFARE STAFF IN ONTARIO, CANADA
Abstract
It is well established in the literature that Black children and youth-in-care are disproportionately overrepresented in Ontario’s child welfare system. Additionally, Black youth experience structural challenges with the education system. However, there is a lack of Canadian literature that explores the educational experiences of Black children while receiving child welfare services. This study examined the reports of youth, child welfare staff, and caregivers on the educational experiences of Black youth-in-care. In-depth interviews exploring the educational needs and goals of Black youth-in-care were conducted with 13 participants (3 child welfare staff, 6 caregivers, and 4 youth). Findings highlight that Black youth-in-care experience labelling, hypervisibility and invisibility, and harassment and bullying, all of which had an impact on how they navigated the school system, and contributed to internalized stereotypes and feelings of isolation and unbelonging. The findings also identify strategies for innovation and promoting the educational success of Black youth-in-care.
Downloads
Metrics
References
Ai, A. L., Jackson Foster, L. J., Pecora, P. J., Delaney, N., & Rodriguez, W. (2013). Reshaping child welfare’s response to trauma: Assessment, evidence-based intervention, and new research perspectives. Research on Social Work Practice, 23(6), 651–668. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731513491835
Anucha, U., Srikanthan, S., Siad-Togane, R., & Galabuzi, G. E. (2017). Doing right together for Black youth: What we learned from the community engagement sessions for the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan. Youth Research and Evaluation eXchange (YouthREX). https://www.issuelab.org/resources/33742/33742.pdf
Balsells, M. À., Pastor, C., Mateos, A., Vaquero, E., & Urrea, A. (2015). Exploring the needs of parents for achieving reunification: The views of foster children, birth family and social workers in Spain. Children and Youth Services Review, 48, 159–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.12.016
Boatswain-Kyte, A., Esposito, T., Trocmé, N., & Boatswain-Kyte, A. (2020). A longitudinal jurisdictional study of Black children reported to child protection services in Quebec, Canada. Children and Youth Services Review, 116, Article 105219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105219
Byfield, C., & Talburt, T. (2020). Targeted intervention in education and the empowerment and emotional well-being of Black boys. In R. Majors, K. Carberry, & T. S. Ransaw (Eds.), The international handbook of Black community mental health (pp. 293–306). Emerald.
Cénat, J., Noorishad, P., Czechowski, K., Mukunzi, J., Hajizadeh, S., McIntee S., & Dalexis, R. (2021). The seven reasons why Black children are overrepresented in the child welfare system in Ontario (Canada): A qualitative study from the perspectives of caseworkers and community facilitators. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 40, 655–670. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-021-00793-6
Clarke, J. (2011). The challenges of child welfare involvement for Afro-Caribbean families in Toronto. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(2), 274–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.09.010
Clarke, J., Minster, S., & Gudge, L. S. (2018). Public numbers, private pain: What is hidden behind the disproportionate removal of Black children and youth from families by Ontario child welfare? In S. Pashang, N. Khanlou, & J. Clarke (Eds.), Today’s youth and mental health: Hope, power, and resilience (pp. 187–209). Springer.
Collin-Vézina, D., Coleman, K., Milne, L., Sell, J., & Daigneault, I. (2011). Trauma experiences, maltreatment-related impairments, and resilience among child welfare youth in residential care. International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, 9(5), 577–589. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-011-9323-8
Comas-Díaz, L., Hall, G. N., & Neville, H. A. (2019). Racial trauma: Theory, research, and healing: Introduction to the special issue. The American Psychologist, 74(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000442
Contenta, S., Monsebraaten, L., & Rankin, J. (2014, December 11). Why are so many black children in foster and group homes? Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/why-are-so-many-black-children-in-foster-and-group-homes/article_682f09d4-36b8-562a-b83d-59983ceadf37.html
Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed.). Sage.
Edwards, T., & Parada, H. (2023). Black youth disengaging from Ontario’s educational system: Grounded theory of their educational experiences. In K. C. Tilleczek & D. MacDonald (Eds.), Youth, education and wellbeing in the Americas (Ch. 7). Routledge.
Gharabaghi, K. (2011). A culture of education: Enhancing school performance of youth living in residential group care in Ontario. Child Welfare, 90(1), 75–91. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21950176/
Goodman, D., & Johnson, N. (2017). Literature review: Black youth in child welfare care — The importance of developing an ethnic identity rooted in Black cultural pride. Child Welfare Institute, CAS Toronto. https://muslimchildrensaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/3-Black-Youth-in-Care-Ethnic-ID-Lit-Review-4.10.17-FINAL.pdf
Goodman, D., Vena, A.-M., Waldmann, A., Marajh, L., Karunananthan, R., Naghavi, F., Child Welfare Institute, Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, Green, R., Gregory, D., Chan, W., & Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada. (2018). Post-secondary education program review. Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada; Child Welfare Institute. https://cafdn.org/about-us/publications
Glogowski, K., & Rakoff, A. (2019). Research spotlight. Mistrust and low expectations: Educational disadvantage and Black youth in Ontario. Pathways to Education Canada.
Government of Ontario. (2017). Anti-Black racism strategy. https://files.ontario.ca/ar-2002_anti-black_racism_strategy_en.pdf
Guerriero, S., Pont, B., Figueroa, D., Albiser, E., Maghnouj, S., & Fraccola, S. (2015). Education policy outlook Canada. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). https://web-archive.oecd.org/2021-01-22/335903-education policy outlook canada.pdf
Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field Methods, 18(1), 59–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X05279903
Harris, M. S., & Skyles, A. (2008). Kinship care for African American children: Disproportionate and disadvantageous. Journal of Family Issues, 29(8), 1013–1030. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X08316543
James, C. E. (2015). Beyond education, brains, and hard work: The aspirations and career trajectory of two Black young men. Alternate Routes: A Journal of Critical Social Research, 26, Article 22325. http://www.alternateroutes.ca/index.php/ar/article/view/22325
James, C. E., & Turner, T. (2017). Towards race equity in education: The schooling of Black students in the Greater Toronto Area. York University. https://edu.yorku.ca/files/2017/04/Towards-Race-Equity-in-Education-April-2017.pdf
Kikulwe, D., Sato, C., & Agyei, J. (2021). The educational, familial, and cultural experiences of Black children-in-care in Ontario: A critical analysis of the assessment and action record (AAR) documentation. International Network on Youth Integration, 11(1), Article 87. https://doi.org/10.25071/1929-8471.87
Kinouani, G. (2020). Silencing, power and racial trauma in groups. Group Analysis, 53(2), 145–161. https://doi.org/10.1177/0533316420908974
Kovarikova, J. (2017). Exploring youth outcomes after aging-out of care. Toronto: Ontario. Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth. https://cwrp.ca/sites/default/files/publications/en/report-exploring-youth-outcomes.pdf
Kufeldt, K., McGilligan, L., Klein, R., & Rideout, S. (2006). The Looking after Children Assessment process: Promoting resilient children and resilient workers. Families in Society, 87(4), 565–574. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.3572
Kufeldt, K., Simard, M., Vachon, J., Baker, J., & Andrews, T.-L. (2000). Looking after children in Canada [Final report]. The Social Development Partnerships Division of Human Resources Development Canada. https://unbscholar.dspace.lib.unb.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/f7bc1ac1-59f2-40bd-8d0a-1d65bbbd8d8c/content
Kurtz, B., Roets, L., & Biraimah, K. (2021). Global education inequities: A comparative study of the United States and South Africa. In N. Popov, C. Wolhuter, L. de Beer, G. Hilton, J. Ogunleye, E. Achinewhu-Nworgu, & E. Niemczyk (Eds.), New challenges to education: Lessons from around the world. BCES conference books (Vol. 19). Bulgarian Comparative Education Society. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED613962.pdf
Lane, C., & Head, S. (2021). Racial trauma: Supporting Black children, youth and families. PART: Practice & Research Together.
Layton, J. (2023). First Nations youth: Experiences and outcomes in secondary and postsecondary learning. [Education Indicators in Canada: Fact Sheet]. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/81-599-x/81-599-x2023001-eng.pdf?st=gAxkFVje
Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage.
Mannay, D., Evans, R., Staples, E., Hallett, S., Roberts, L., Rees, A., & Andrews, D. (2017). The consequences of being labelled ‘looked-after’: Exploring the educational experiences of looked-after children and young people in Wales. British Educational Research Journal, 43(4), 683–699. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3283
McMurtry. V. (2020, June 19). Statement on anti-Black racism and our commitment as allies to Black communities – Leadership blog. Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada. https://cafdn.org/news/statement-on-anti-black-racism-and-our-commitment-as-allies-to-black-communities-leadership-blog/
Ministry of the Solicitor General. (2020). Annual progress report: Ontario’s anti-racism strategic plan (p. 28). Government of Ontario. https://files.ontario.ca/solgen-annual-progress-report-2020-anti-racism-strategic-plan-en-2020-09-20-v2.pdf
Mosley, D. V., Hargons, C. N., Meiller, C., Angyal, B., Wheeler, P., Davis, C., & Steven-Watkins, D. (2021). Critical consciousness of anti-Black racism: A practical model to prevent and resist racial trauma. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 68(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000430
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2018). Interrupted childhoods: Over-representation of Indigenous and Black children in Ontario child welfare [Report]. Ontario Human Rights Commission. http://www3.ohrc.on.ca/sites/default/files/Interrupted childhoods_Over-representation of Indigenous and Black children in Ontario child welfare_accessible.pdf
Phillips, I. (2022, October 30). Desegregation or integration? Not just semantics when it comes to the education of Black children in the public schools [Editorial]. Jackson Advocate. https://jacksonadvocateonline.com/desegregation-or-integrationnot-just-semantics-when-it-comes-to-the-education-of-black-children-in-the-public-schools
Statistics Canada. (2019). Diversity of the Black population in Canada: An overview [Ethnicity, language and immigration thematic series]. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-657-x/89-657-x2019002-eng.htm
Turner, T., Boyce, T., & Butler, A. (2020). An assessment of the needs of Black parents in Ontario: Evaluation of the innovative supports for Black parents initiative [Report 1]. Turner Consulting Group. https://www.turnerconsultinggroup.ca/uploads/2/9/5/6/29562979/report_1_-_needs_assessment_-_final_-_june_15.pdf
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. (2022). Concluding observations on the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Canada. https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CRC/Shared Documents/CAN/CRC_C_CAN_CO_5-6_48911_E.pdf
Authors contributing to the International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies agree to release their articles under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 Unported license. This licence allows anyone to share their work (copy, distribute, transmit) and to adapt it for non-commercial purposes provided that appropriate attribution is given, and that in the event of reuse or distribution, the terms of this license are made clear.
Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal right of first publication.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Rights Granted After Publication
After publication, authors may reuse portions or the full article without obtaining formal permission for inclusion within their thesis or dissertation.
Permission for these reuses is granted on the following conditions:
- that full acknowledgement is made of the original publication stating the specific material reused [pages, figure numbers, etc.], [Title] by/edited by [Author/editor], [year of publication], reproduced by permission of International Journal of Child, Youth & Family Studies [link to IJCYFS website];
- In the case of joint-authored works, it is the responsibility of the author to obtain permission from co-authors for the work to be reuse/republished;
- that reuse on personal websites and institutional or subject-based repositories includes a link to the work as published in the International Journal of Child, Youth & Family Studies; and that the material is not distributed under any kind of Open Access style licences (e.g. Creative Commons) which may affect the Licence between the author and IJCYFS.
