This section contains links to Canadian and international statistics, statistical reports, and demographic information related to child welfare.
Child Welfare Statistics by Province and Terrority
In 2022, there were an estimated 61, 104 children in out-of-home care across Canada (Pollock et al., 2024). The national rate of out-of-home care was 8.24 children per 1000 population. Rate variations by province/territory were substantial and changed over time. The rate of out-of-home care varied by province/territory from 2.72 to 29.60 per 1000 children.
Because child welfare services fall under the jurisdiction of provincial and territorial authorities each province has different legislation pertaining to child protection interventions, making it difficult to compare rates of children in out-of-home care across provinces. For information on the number of children in care by province or territory please see the statistics section for the specific province/territory of interest:
Canadian Incidence Studies
- First Nations/Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2019 (FN/CIS-2019)
- Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2008 (CIS-2008)
- Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2003 (CIS-2003)
- Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 1998 (CIS-1998)
Statistics Canada
- Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile
- Child and Youth Statistics
- Statistics Canada, Juristat (Justice Statistics)
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
American Surveys and Statistics
- Children's Bureau, US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
- Child Welfare Information Gateway
- LONGSCAN: Consortium for Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect
- National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW)
- America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being