MAPPING DISPARITIES FOR BLACK FAMILIES IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM
Child Welfare and Out-of-Home Care Research
About
In partnership with One Vision One Voice, the goal of the Mapping Disparities for Black Families (MDBF) Project is to better understand the context of involvement and decision-making for Black children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system in Ontario. We are working to understand how anti-Black racism manifests within the system and to identify key areas where disparities emerge, are maintained, and can be meaningfully addressed with substantive policy, organizational, or practice change.
Publications
When Services are No Longer Voluntary: Article
Edwards, T., Clarke, M. K., Boatswain-Kyte, A., & King, B. (2026). When services are no longer voluntary: Exploring child protection workers experiences with Black families and (in)voluntary services. Child Abuse & Neglect, 171, 107817. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107817
"The Duty to Report or to Support?": Article
Edwards, T., King, B., Fallon, B., & James, C. E. (2026). “The duty to report or to support?” Exploring the experiences of child protection workers investigating Black families reported for allegations of physical abuse to Ontario’s child welfare system. Children and Youth Services Review, 183, 108796. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108796
Findings Related to Under-Response: MDBF Report
Milanzi, C., Sasso, A., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2026). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to under-response. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Overview of Findings Related to Under-response: MDBF Information Sheet 11
Milanzi, C., Sasso, A., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2026). Overview and findings related to under-response (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #11). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Findings Related to the Front Door of Child Welfare - Intake and Investigations: MDBF Report
Aina, F., Chowdhury, R., Milanzi, C., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Sasso, A., Facey, K., Patrick- Drakes, V., & King, B. (2026). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to the front door of child welfare – intake and investigations. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Overview of Findings Related to the Front Door of Child Welfare: MDBF Information Sheet 10
Aina, F., Chowdhury, R., Milanzi, C., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Sasso, A., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2026). Overview of findings related to the front door of child welfare: Intake and investigations (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #10). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Findings Related to the Impact of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion & Anti-Black Racism Training: MDBF Report
Laylor, A., Osei Wireko, S., Ukwu, G., Gallina, T., Edwards, T., Sasso, A., Facey, K., Patrick- Drakes, V., & King, B. (2026). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to the Impact of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion & Anti-Black Racism Training. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Overview of Findings Related to the Impact of EDI/ABR Training: MDBF Information Sheet 9
Laylor, A., Osei Wireko, S., Ukwu, G., Gallina, T., Edwards, T., Sasso. A., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2026). Overview of findings related to the impact of EDI/ABR training (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #9). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Findings Related to Mistrust and Oversurveillance: MDBF Report
Ukwu, G., Clarke, M., Sasso, A., Gallina, T., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., King, B., & Edwards, T. (2026). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to mistrust and oversurveillance. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Overview of Findings Related to Mistrust and Oversurveillance: MDBF Information Sheet 8
Ukwu, G., Clarke, M., Sasso, A., Gallina, T., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., King, B., & Edwards, T. (2026). Overview of findings related to mistrust and oversurveillance (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #8). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Laylor, A., Edwards, T., Aina, F., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to the impact of poverty. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Overview of Findings Related to the Impact of Poverty: MDBF Information Sheet 7
Gallina, T., Aina, F., Laylor, A., Edwards, T., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2025). Overview of findings related to the impact of poverty (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #7). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Findings Related to the Supervisory Relationship: MDBF Report
Chowdhury, R., Aina, F., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to the supervisory relationship. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Overview of Findings Related to the Supervisory Relationship: MDBF Information Sheet 6
Gallina, T., Chowdhury, R., Aina, F., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Facey, K., Patrick-Drakes, V., & King, B. (2025). Overview of findings related to the supervisory relationship (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #6). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Findings Related to Allegations of Physical Abuse: MDBF Report
Edwards, T., King, B., Ukwu, G., Gallina, T., Bennett, L., Laylor, A., Facey, K. & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to allegations of physical abuse. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Overview of Findings Related to Allegations of Physical Abuse: MDBF Information Sheet 5
Edwards, T., King, B., Gallina, T., Bennett, L., Ukwu, G., Aina, F., Chowdhury, R., & Laylor, A. (2025). Overview of findings related to allegations of physical abuse (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #5). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Findings Related to the Eligibility Spectrum: MDBF Report
King, B., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Facey, K. & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Findings related to the Eligibility Spectrum. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Overview of Findings Related to the Eligibility Spectrum: MDBF Information Sheet 4
King, B., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Facey, K. & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Overview of findings related to the Eligibility Spectrum (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #4). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Background, Purpose, and Methods: MDBF Technical Report
King, B., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Smith, C., Facey, K., & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project: Technical report describing background, purpose, and methods. One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Study Overview: MDBF Information Sheet 3
King, B., Edwards, T., Laylor, A., Chowdhury, R., Facey, K., & Patrick-Drakes, V. (2025). Study overview (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #3). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
Absence of Language: MDBF Information Sheet 2
Gallina, T., Bennett, L., Ukwu, G., Aina, F., Chowdhury, R., Laylor, A., King, B., & Edwards, T. (2025). Absence of Language (Mapping Disparities for Black Families Information Sheet #2). One Vision One Voice: Toronto, ON.
The Over-Representation of Black Children in Ontario Child Welfare. Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #1
Bonnie, N., Facey, K., King, B., Fallon, B., Patrick-Drakes, V., Evi, A., Edwards, T. , Joh-Carnella, N., & Black, T. (2023). The Over-Representation of Black Children in Ontario Child Welfare. Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project Information Sheet #1. Toronto, ON: Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies.
Understanding the Over-Representation of Black Children in Ontario Child Welfare Services
Bonnie, N. & Facey, K., King, B., Fallon, B., Joh-Carnella, N., Edwards, T., Kagan-Cassidy, M., William, K., Black, T., Patrick-Drakes, V., & Anucha, C. (2022). Understanding the Over-Representation of Black Children in Ontario Child Welfare Services. (Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2018). Toronto, ON: Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies.
Developmental Disruptions: Adolescent Involvement in the Child Welfare System
This study examined why and how adolescents are entering the child welfare system in Ontario, with a special focus on identifying their unique needs.
Youth Consultation on the Transition from Care
The YWL team documented provincial consultations on youth transitioning from child welfare care, reflecting on youth participation, engagement, and partnerships.
Black Youths’ Narratives of the Ontario Child Welfare System
This study explored the experience of navigating anti-Black racism in the narratives of Black Caribbean youth about their time in in out-of-home care in Ontario.
