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Why We Help
The Reality
Every day, thousands of children, youth, and families across Canada face challenges that place young people at risk of entering the child welfare system. Today, approximately 61,000 children and youth are living in out-of-home care, while many more continue to need support during and after their experience in care.
The Barriers
Children and youth become involved with the child welfare system for many reasons, including abuse, neglect, family violence, poverty, mental health challenges, and other systemic barriers that impact family stability and well-being.
The Inequities
Black and Indigenous children and youth continue to be disproportionately overrepresented in care as a result of historical injustices, systemic racism, and inequitable access to support, resources, and opportunity.
The Impact
For young people connected to the child welfare system, the odds are too often stacked against them. Compared to their peers, they are two to six times more likely to experience a mental health disorder and nearly 200 times more likely to experience homelessness. Many also face significant barriers to education, employment, lifelong connections, and long-term stability.
Our Response
For more than four decades, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada has worked to help close the gap between what government systems provide and what children, youth, and families truly need to heal, grow, and move forward with confidence.
Today, we are building on that foundation. Through its national network of child welfare and community-based partners, the Foundation has a unique view into where systems are succeeding, where gaps persist, and which approaches are making the greatest difference for young people.
This perspective positions us to play a critical role: helping meet the needs of children and youth today while working with partners to strengthen the systems that support them tomorrow.
Together with donors, partners, governments, communities, and young people with lived experience, we are working toward a future where every young person has the opportunity to thrive.
