Ontario

Children’s Aid Societies in Ontario have the exclusive mandate under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA) to protect children who have been or are at risk of being abused and/or neglected by their caregivers, to provide for their care and supervision where necessary and to place children for adoption (CFYSA, 2017). A total of 38 Children’s Aid Societies and 13 Indigenous Child and Family Wellbeing Agencies (ICFWBA) are specifically designated by the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services to investigate child abuse and neglect and take the necessary steps to care for children and youth in need of protection. Three Children’s Aid Societies specifically serve religious communities. Children’s Aid Societies are independent legal entities (corporations run by Boards of Directors) or Indian Bands (that operate under the Indian Act) and are accountable to the communities they serve. In addition to the CYFSA, the Ontario Child Welfare Eligibility Spectrum and Child Protection Standards guide child protection workers at each phase of service delivery. For more information, visit the information sheet on Ontario's child welfare system.

Statistics

Ontario - Statistics

Child Maltreatment Investigations in Ontario, 2008*, 2013** and 2018***

  2008 2013 2018
Child population (0-15) 2,382,035 2,349,600 2,361,870
Number of child maltreatment investigations 128,748 125,281 148,536
Incidence of child maltreatment investigations per 1,000 children 54.05 53.32 62.89

Type of Child Maltreatment Investigation in Ontario, 2018***

  Number Rate per 1,000 children Percent
Maltreatment Investigation 94,476 40.00 64%
Risk Investigation 54,060 22.89 36%

Categories of Substantiated Child Maltreatment Investigations in Ontario, 2018***

Category of Maltreatment Number Rate per 1,000 children Percent
Physical Abuse 7,081 3.00 19%
Sexual Abuse 1,019 0.43 3%
Neglect 8,082 3.42 21%
Emotional Maltreatment 4,689 1.99 12%
Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence 17,051 7.22 45%

Placement in Child Maltreatment Investigations in Ontario, 2008*, 2013** and 2018***

  2008 # 2008 Rate 2013 # 2013 Rate 2018 # 2018 Rate
No Placement 121,436 50.98 121,020 51.51 144,351 61.12
Informal Kinship Care 3,616 1.52 1,874 0.80 2,488 1.05
Formal Placement 3,696 1.55 2,387 1.02 1,697 0.71

Children and youth in out-of-home care in 2019^

Children in care   Child (0-17) population Rate per 1000****
12,385   2,765,376 4.48

* Fallon, B., Trocmé, N., MacLaurin, B., Sinha, V., Black, T., Felstiner, … Johnston, A. (2010). Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2008 (OIS‑2008). Toronto, ON: Child Welfare Research Portal.

** Fallon, B., Van Wert, M., Trocmé, N., MacLaurin, B., Sinha, V., Lefebvre, R., … Goel, S. (2015). Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2013 (OIS‑2013). Toronto, ON: Child Welfare Research Portal.

***Fallon, B., Filippelli, J. Lefebvre, R., Joh-Carnella, N., Trocmé, N., Black, T., .... Stoddart, J.(2020). Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2018 (OIS‑2018). Toronto, ON: Child Welfare Research Portal

^Data obtained through personal communication with Barbara Fallon. Information from the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

****The rate per 1000 is calculated using the population of children covered under the age of protection in Ontario (under 18 years old).

§ Child welfare services fall under the jurisdiction of provincial and territorial authorities, making it difficult to compile statistics at the national level. The most notable variations between provinces include mandate variation by jurisdiction with respect to the age to which children are eligible for services, differences in the length of time a child can receive out-of-home care and the definition of out-of-home care.

Reports
Title Authors Year
Mashkiwenmi-daa Noojimowin: Let’s have strong minds for the healing: First Nations Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2018

Crowe, Amber
Schiffer, Jeffrey
Fallon, Barbara
Houston, Emmaline
Black, Tara
Lefebvre, Rachael
Filippelli, Joanne
Joh-Carnella, Nicolette
Trocmé, Nico

Ontario Incidence Study Of Reported Child Abuse And Neglect - 2018 (OIS-2018)

Fallon, Barbara
Filippelli, Joanne
Lefebvre, Rachael
Joh-Carnella, Nicolette
Trocmé, Nico
Black, Tara
MacLaurin, Bruce
Hélie, Sonia
Morin, Yves
Fluke, John
King, Bryn
Esposito, Tonino
Collin-Vézina, Delphine
Allan, Kate
Houston, Emmaline
Harlick, Maria
Bonnie, Nicole
Budau, Krista
Goodman, Deborah
Kartusch, Mark
Malti, Tina
Moody, Brenda
Rasteniene, Jolanta
Parada, Henry
Richard, Kenn
Schumaker, Kate
Stevens, Theresa
Stoddart, Jill

Investigation Report: Johnson Children’s Services Inc. (Thunder Bay)

Ontario Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth

Investigation Report: “Alex”

Ontario Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth

Interrupted childhoods: Over-representation of Indigenous and Black children in Ontario child welfare Ontario Human Rights Commission
Exploring Youth Outcomes After Aging-Out of Care

Kovarikova, Jane

In Harm's Way? Serious Occurances Report Volume 2

Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth; Snow, Kim

Because Young People Matter: Report of the Residential Services Review Panel

Residential Services Panel

Provincial/Territorial Protocol On Children, Youth and Families Moving Between Provinces and Territories

Government of British Columbia
Government of Alberta
Government of Manitoba
Government of Saskatchewan
Government of New Brunswick
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Government of Nova Scotia
Government of Prince Edward Island
Government of Northwest Territories
Government of Nunavut
Government of Yukon
Government of Ontario

Reality Check: Findings from the Second Annual Listening Tour of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth

Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth

Searching for home: reimagining residential care Office of the Provincial advocate for Children and Youth
Serious Occurances Report

Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth; Snow, Kim

The Bus Ride Home Project: Developing Supports for Ontario's Child Welfare Change-makers in & from Care

Children's Aid Foundation
Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children & Youth

The Bus Ride Home Project: Developing Supports for Ontario's child welfare change-makers in and from care

Mickleborough, Lisa for the Children's Aid Foundation; The Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth

Children's Rights Matter to Us: Findings from the First Annual Listening Tour of the Ontario Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth

Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth