Child Welfare Practice Tools and Resources
Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA)
The CYFSA is the guiding legislation for child welfare in Ontario. Children’s Aid Societies and Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies have the exclusive legal responsibility to provide child protection services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The activities and purpose of a society are set out in the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017.
This CYFSA requires child welfare agencies to:
- Investigate allegations or evidence that children who are under the age of 18 years need protection
- Protect children who are under the age of 18 years
- Provide guidance, counselling, and other services to families for protecting children or for the prevention of circumstances requiring the protection of children
- Provide care for children assigned to its care
- Supervise children assigned to its supervision
- Place children for adoption
Child Welfare Policy Directives
Policy directives operationalize the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017. They set mandatory requirements for Ontario’s Children’s Aid Societies and Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies in a number of areas.
Eligibility Spectrum
The Eligibility Spectrum is a tool designed to assist child protection staff in making consistent and accurate decisions about a child or family’s eligibility for service at the time a society becomes involved. Those with a mandate under the CYFSA to provide child protection services are required to use the tool by policy directive.
The Ontario Child Welfare Eligibility Spectrum is a field-developed, eligibility tool for child welfare in Ontario. Promoting excellence in child protection services, the child welfare eligibility assessment instrument supports Children’s Aid Societies, Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies, their communities, and the children, youth, and families they work with.
The Eligibility Spectrum is a tool designed to assist child protection staff in making consistent and accurate decisions about a child or family’s eligibility for service. Child protection workers investigate allegations of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect and determine if a society needs to become involved.
Download the Eligibility Spectrum here.
Ontario Child Protection Standards (2016)
The child protection standards promote consistent, high-quality service delivery to children, youth, and families receiving services from Ontario Children’s Aid Societies and Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies. They are the minimum performance expectations for child protection workers, supervisors, and societies.
Ontario’s Quality Standards Framework (2020)
The Quality Standards Framework was introduced in 2020 by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services as part of child welfare redesign. The standards framework is a resource guide aimed at improving the quality of care for children and youth in licensed residential settings.
Equity and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Resources
One Vision One Voice: Changing the Ontario Child Welfare System to Better Serve African Canadians
- Part 1: Research Report EN| FR
- Part 2: Race Equity Practices EN| FR
- Part 3: Promising Practices and Implementation Toolkit EN| FR
Ontario Child Welfare LGBT2SQ+ Organizational Assessment EN | FR
Serving LGBT2SQ Children and Youth in the Child Welfare System: A Resource Guide EN | FR
The Other Side of the Door: A Practice Guide for Child Welfare Professionals Working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples EN | Oji-Cree | FR
ANCFSAO’s Best Practices Guide on Customary Care Processes in Ontario EN (this guide is only available in English)
The Library Guides are reference lists and useful resources on specific topics compiled by OACAS for the Ontario child welfare sector.
Stakeholder Research and Resources
Youth in Transition: Pathways to Independence, A Resource Guide for Youth and Workers (ANCFSAO)
Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect* – 2018 (OIS 2018)
*For past OIS reports and additional information sheets, click here.
Peer to Peer Knowledge Exchange
The Peer to Peer Knowledge Exchange (P2PKE) is a monthly, cross-sectoral collaboration and skills-sharing hub co-coordinated by StepStones for Youth and the Ontario Association for Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS). Attendees are stakeholders from across sectors with a shared commitment to supporting the well-being of children and youth in and from the Ontario child welfare system. Each month, StepStones for Youth and OACAS co-host a virtual webinar featuring organizations, initiatives, and individuals to share best practices, ask questions, and learn from each other.
P2PKE was the vision of founder Shuah Roskies, at that time at the Office of the Children’s Lawyer (OCL), in response to gaps in services and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. She sought to create a space in which child welfare practitioners, child and family service organizations, and youth in and from care could come together to share best practice and amplify innovative programs and strategies to support children and youth.
Webinar Archive
Mindfulness and the Way of Transforming Vicarious Trauma into Triumph (January 25, 2024)
Meeting the Needs of African Canadian Youth – Responses from the Child Welfare System and Shelter System (February 29, 2024) Black History Month Edition
Overview of the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman, Children and Youth Unit (March 28, 2024)
Intimate Partner Violence (April 25, 2024)
StepStones for Youth (May 23, 2024)
Pride Month (June 27, 2024)
RCYBC Children and Youth Report, “Don’t Look Away” (September 26, 2024)
Gaps to Supporting Youth Vulnerable to Trafficking (November 28, 2024)
Surrey Place (Aaron Firth, a Service Navigator and Housing Navigator at Developmental Services Ontario – Toronto Region) (November 30, 2023)
Project Outsiders and the Youth In Care Project (October 25, 2023)
Remembering Shuah Roskies – A Special Session (September 20, 2023)
Understanding the Ready, Set, Go (RSG) Program (June 26, 2023)
Working with and Empowering Parents with Developmental and Child Welfare Systems Involvement (June 15, 2023)
How to Build Capacity within Child Welfare To Enhance Connections with Developmental Resources to Support Children, Youth and Families (April 20, 2023)
Resources for Older (Post Majority) First Nations Youth (March 2, 2023)
Assessing Justice and Child Welfare Involved Youth: what needs to change and new approaches in assessments (February 21, 2023)
Accessing the Canada Housing Benefit Top-Up (January 10, 2023)
Only Connect: Exploring tools offered by Connect Our Kids for children and youth in care (December 8, 2022)
Understanding Youth vs Adult Criminal Justice Systems (November 17, 2022)
Webinar on Child Sex Trafficking Amendments to the CYFSA (October 27, 2022)
Kids Help Phone – What Have We Learned About Mental Health From the Pandemic? (March 10, 2022)
P2PKE Special Session: A Mental Health & Early Intervention Program for Youth between 12 and 18 years (January 20, 2022)
COVID-19 Financial Supports (December 4, December 3 & November 26, 2020)
Readiness To Leave Care (November 18, 2020)
Supporting Youth Who Have Been Accused of Being Involved in Human Trafficking (November 10, 2020)
YCJA 101: Understanding the Youth Criminal Justice System and How to Support Youth (September 24, 2020)
The Back to School Session (August 20, 2020)
Leading Conversations about Race and Racism (August 6,9 & 10, 2020)
Emergent Themes and Trends: What Does Youth Service In Your Region Look Like Right Now? (July 9, 2020)
Become an Education Ally and Advocate, Part 2 (June 25, 2020)
Understanding Education Resources, Part 1 (June 11, 2020)
Covid Financial Supports Info Session (May 7, 2020)
OCL Webinar: Peer to Peer Knowledge Exchange (April 30, 2020)
