Ethno-racial identity and child welfare decisions: Using data from the Ontario incidence study of reported child abuse and neglect

Background Black, Latin American, and First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) children are overrepresented in Ontario’s child welfare system, but the workforce has historically been predominantly White. Objective To determine whether Ontario’s child welfare workforce has become more diversified and whether worker race, ethnicity or indigeneity is associated with key intervention decisions. Methods This is a secondary data analysis that utilizes data from the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (OIS). The OIS gathers information about child welfare investigations and investigating worker background from representative samples of Ontario child welfare agencies through five periodic cycles (1998 to 2018). Worker ethno-racial identity was calculated for each of the five cycles of the OIS. Using the 2018 OIS data, ethno-racial matching between caregivers and workers is described and intervention decisions made by each ethno-racial group of workers are compared. Results Between 1998 and 2018, the proportion of non-White child welfare workers in Ontario increased from 10% to 24%. By 2018, although 38% of FNMI caregivers and 21% of Black caregivers were assigned to workers from matched backgrounds, most caregivers were still assigned a White worker. There were no statistically significant differences in the investigation decisions made by workers from different ethno-racial groups. Conclusions While there has been some improvement in the recruitment of non-White workers, the increase in non-White child welfare workers may not be enough to change decision-making practices associated with overrepresentation. Future studies need to examine how assessment tools, service procedures and standards in Ontario may be impacting decisions.