Kids Count: Decolonizing Approaches to Understanding and Documenting Out-of-Home Care. Summary report: Canadian child welfare administrative data knowledge exchange meeting (2025)

While counts of First Nations children in out-of-home care are a useful proxy of ongoing systemic disparities and discrimination, data collection and analyses need to expand to understand the impact of child welfare services on children, youth and families. In 2025, a meeting of over 25 child welfare researchers, advocates, practitioners and First Nations leaders emphasized the need to decolonize how out-of-home care is understood and documented in Canadian child welfare. Discussions centered on two core themes: 

1) Expanding and reconceptualizing out-of-home care options to better reflect First Nations approaches to caring for children; and 2) Reducing related care barriers imposed by current legislative, regulatory, and funding systems. 

These priorities were identified as key areas for systemic change. 

i. Rethink how care is documented and measured 

ii. Strengthen the legal foundation for Customary Care agreements 

iii. Shift resources from child protection to prevention 

iv. Address funding disparities 

v. Invest in post-reunification support