Upholding Truth and Reconciliation: Correlates and causes of ongoing Indigenous cases and gaps in mental health services in child welfare in the Waterloo Region

What are the causes and correlates of Indigenous children disengaging with the child welfare system of the Waterloo region? Are child welfare agencies in the Waterloo region promoting Indigenous mental health by upholding the principles within the Truth and Reconciliation’s calls to action? What preventative measures were taken to prevent disengagement of Indigenous children and their caregivers? This project will ask these questions through a systematic review of 50 ongoing cases (N =50) from 2017-2023. This research will identify the correlates influencing Indigenous children and youth’s that enter the system as well as their caregivers involved in the child welfare system in the Region of Waterloo. Using content coding, common themes among ongoing cases will be identified. The extent to which child welfare agencies have followed the principles of Truth and Reconciliation, and the presence of mental health support for Indigenous people involved in the child welfare system will also be identified. Following this report, recommendations will be delivered to Family and Children Services of Waterloo Region, and various regional decision makers (if deemed appropriate).

Faculty Supervisor:

Dillon Browne

Student:

Partner:

Mental Health Research Canada;FACS Waterloo

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: