Download Child Welfare Education Youth Social Infrastructure Publications The State of Black and IndigenousYouth in Ontario Report on Black & Indigenous Youth in Ontario examines impacts of policing, child welfare, & education systems, highlighting marginalization and offering recommendations. / Documents / Child Welfare / The State of Black and IndigenousYouth in Ontario The State of Black and Indigenous Youth in Ontario report by the Laidlaw Foundation, published in November 2023, examines the pervasive marginalization of Black and Indigenous youth in Ontario. It traces their challenges to historical injustices like colonization, residential schools, and the Indian Act, leading to disproportionate involvement in child welfare, criminal, and education systems, cultural erosion, socioeconomic disparities, and health issues. The report highlights that over 240,000 Black youth and over 150,000 Indigenous youth resided in Ontario in 2021, with distinct geographic distributions. Key findings include the exacerbation of the school-to-prison pipeline due to racial profiling and over-policing, the lasting impact of intergenerational trauma, and systemic issues in policing and child welfare. Black and Indigenous youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system and face educational disparities, being steered away from higher education. The report concludes with recommendations for government (preventing the school-to-prison pipeline, early intervention, culturally responsive services/curriculum), the criminal system (rehabilitation and diversion), and philanthropy (funding youth-led initiatives, culturally relevant programs, and removing funding barriers) to address systemic racism and promote transformative change.