The experiences of Black children and youth within the Canadian Child Welfare System: A scoping review

Racial disproportionality in the Canadian child welfare system is increasingly recognized, yet research specifically examining the overrepresentation of Black children and youth remains limited. This study conducts a scoping review of the literature examining the experiences and outcomes of Black children and youth in the Canadian Child Welfare System. Guided by intersectionality and Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework, we searched seven databases: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Academic Search Complete, and SocINDEX. Empirical studies were included if they were published in peer-reviewed journals and focused on Black children and youth aged 0–30 living in Canada. Findings were analyzed using thematic synthesis. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were published between 1994 and 2024, with most conducted in Ontario (n = 21) and Quebec (n = 5). Qualitative methods predominated (n = 18), while 11 studies used quantitative approaches. Across studies, racism emerged as the central driver of overrepresentation, shaping the broader context in which socioeconomic inequality and cultural bias operate. These intersecting factors were linked to increased surveillance, child welfare involvement, placement instability, long-term disparities, and mistrust among Black families. An intersectional lens showed how race, class, gender, immigration status, culture, and institutional power overlap to reinforce child welfare contact and unequal outcomes. Research on Black children and youth in Canada’s child welfare system remains limited, geographically uneven, and methodologically constrained. Addressing racial disproportionality requires confronting anti-Black racism, socioeconomic inequality, and institutional bias while strengthening empirical research centered on Black children and youth.