The overrepresentation of Indigenous children and youth is due to the historical injustices perpetrated against First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities by the Canadian government and provincial child welfare systems. These injustices include residential schools and the Sixties Scoop. These colonial legacies have resulted in community impairment, intergenerational trauma, and the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in child welfare. The overrepresentation and inequity in outcomes for African-Caribbean Canadian families engaged with child welfare agencies is due to colonialism and systemic racism. African-Caribbean Canadian children are twice as likely to be reported to a Children’s Aid Society but are no more likely than any other group of children to experience child maltreatment.

Stereotypes around poverty can also lead to overreporting. While poverty is a risk factor for children and youth, it is not a cause of child maltreatment.

Because community partners can be key connections in a child, youth or family’s life, it is critical that they understand overrepresentation in the child welfare system and how it occurs.

Personal and systemic biases and stereotypes can impact a decision to call a Children’s Aid Society. For example, behaviors of African-Caribbean Canadian children and youth in response to microaggressions, racial bullying by peers, or marginalization in the schools are sometimes incorrectly seen as reflecting issues within the home. Factors such as ethnicity, religion, family structure, and history influence family practices. Child-rearing practices vary across families and cultures. There are various parenting practices that are not concerning but may differ from your own. To check their biases, community partners are encouraged to “flip it.” In other words, would they call if the individual was a white, affluent child? We also suggest conferring with colleagues to check against personal prejudice and discuss the situation from multiple perspectives.

A document called “Yes, You Can. Dispelling the Myths About Sharing Information with Children’s Aid Societies”, released by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, is a critical reminder that a call to a Children’s Aid Society is not a privacy violation when it concerns the safety of a child or youth. In fact, professionals who work with children and youth have a special responsibility, as stated in the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, to protect the safety and well-being of children and youth. More information about Duty to Report is available here: www.oacas.org/childrens-aid-child-protection/duty-to-report/.

1. Ask young people how they are managing and what they are feeling, using open-ended questions like:

• How are you doing? Since COVID-19 started, have you noticed a change in how happy or unhappy you feel? Has there been a change in how you feel about yourself (self-esteem)?
• Can you show me how you’re feeling? Tell me a story about something that made you happy/sad or draw me a picture to help me understand what you’re thinking?
• What do you find hardest about COVID-19? What is the best part?
• If you had 2 wishes right now, what would they be?
• What hopes do you have for tomorrow?

2. Create opportunities for children and youth to tell you about their life at home through conversations, art and play, in both groups and individually if the setting allows.
3. Observe, listen, and pay attention to how the child/youth are doing: do they seem to be doing well? Do you have any worries or concerns about how they appear? If you knew them before COVID-19, have you noticed a difference in their affect or presentation? Do you see signs of mental health issues, abuse, and/or neglect such as:

• physical injuries;
• low or no participation over a significant period;
• significant expression of worry or concerns;
• no contact with a family after many repeated phone calls/messages;
• flat affect or withdrawn presentation if there is video communication.

4. COVID-19 impacts Indigenous families and communities differently because of history of disease, child removal, and geographic confinement. Food security, connectivity, access to devices, family capacity, relationships with schooling and teachers, and social determinants of health can all impact involvement of children and youth in activities and programs. Many families have returned to their nations or may have moved in with extended family. When a family you are expecting to participate in your programming cannot be contacted after trying multiple means, a wellness check should be done. This can be supported by an Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agency (contact information for these agencies is available here: oacas.org/locate).

• A list of resources available to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis families can be found here: http://www.oacas.org/covid-19-resources/#fnim

1. Remind young people that you are there for them and encourage them to reach out to you if they need support. Make sure they know how to reach you if they need to.
2. Acknowledge that it can be hard to ask for help but let them know it’s important to do so. Acknowledge that they might not even know exactly what they need help with or that it might be difficult to define, but that you can figure it out together.
3. Share any additional supports available through your organization or from other community resources that can be accessed anonymously and outside of business hours. Refer to oacas.org/covid-19-resources/#youth for resources that might help.

1. Include information about online safety risks as well as strategies to help keep young people safe while online in your interactions/sessions.
2. Encourage young people to stay connected to their friends, communities, and identity-based groups through digital technologies and help them make these links.
3. Remind young people of the importance of finding a healthy balance by limiting their screen time and news intake. Please see oacas.org/covid-19-resources/#youth for resources that can help.

1. Emphasize the importance of self-care during this time and talk about wellness if/when the opportunity presents itself.
2. Work with young people to identify strategies they can use for coping, managing stress, and regulating their emotions.
3. Talk about strategies for different ways of coping such as sleep, nutrition, mindfulness and physical activity.

• Sick Kids Learning Hub has some tips and resources to help support children’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Talk to families and caregivers about how things are going at home and acknowledge the stress and uncertainty that COVID-19 has caused.
2. Acknowledge that connecting virtually can be difficult for everyone and talk about ways that this new way of working could be optimized.
3. Encourage flexibility where possible and encourage caregivers to reach out if they require support or signposting to resources.