Why are we so Black? A review of the literature on the educational experiences of Black youth in Ontario’s child welfare system

Black youth and families are overrepresented in the child welfare system within Canada and are at increased risk of being reported to Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) by professionals and community members, are more frequently placed in out of home care, have longer involvement with CAS, and lower likelihood of being reunited with their biological families or being adopted (Clarke, 2012). The overrepresentation of young Black people in child welfare reflects broader systemic racism faced by Black Canadians in areas such as education and justice. For the last several decades, the provincial government of Ontario has launched various initiatives to address systemic racism faced by Black youth, including education and the child welfare system, but none to address the intersection of both systems (Anti-Racism Directorate, 2017).