Examining decision-making tools and child welfare involvement among Black families in Ontario, Canada

Earlier work showed that child welfare investigations of Black families in Ontario quadrupled between 1998 and 2003, while those of White families doubled. This study examined the role of standardized decision-making tools introduced in that period, such as the Ontario Risk Assessment Model and eligibility spectrum. Sharp increases in investigations of physical abuse and especially exposure to intimate partner violence appear to have driven the overrepresentation of Black children. The tools, along with a lower risk threshold for investigation, likely contributed to more Black families being investigated. The authors recommend involving the Black community in developing tools that account for culturally based protective factors and addressing the underlying structural and cultural issues.