Performative youth work: The staging of care for Black youth in out-of-home care in Ontario’s child welfare system

The present article focuses on findings from in-depth semi-structured interviews with 27 Black Caribbean youth (ages 16–26) with experience in out-of-home care in the Ontario child welfare system. Participants reported feeling that they did not have any input during their time in out-of-home care and discussed various factors undermining their voice in decision-making processes. Salient themes include: (1) a lack of ‘care’ from caregivers, (2) the existence of performative youth work and a need for authenticity, and (3) the need to centre youth voice. Conceptualizations of anti-Black racism, youth agency, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child guide the analysis with recommendations for policy and practice.