Why collect identity-based data
In Ontario and across Canada there is a growing recognition of the importance of collecting identity-based data in all public and social services to improve service outcomes and the allocation of resources.
The collection of identity-based data can help organizations providing social services:
- Better understand who they are serving
- Address gaps and disproportionality of services within specific populations
- Assess the outcomes and impact that services are having or not having on different population groups
- Implement action plans to improve outcomes
- Develop anti-oppressive and anti-racist strategies for vulnerable populations
Case study: Children's Aid Society of Toronto
Today there is a lack of disaggregated Ontario data for the child welfare system, but the recent experience of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST) provides a good example of why it is important for Children's Aid Societies across the province to collect and examine race-based and other identity-based data.
In 2015, CAST became the first child welfare agency in Ontario to publicly share its race-based data. This data confirmed community concerns that African Canadian children and youth experience significant overrepresentation in the child welfare system. The data released showed a disproportionality rate of 4.8, with the African Canadian community representing 40.8% of children in care of CAST, yet only 8.5% of the Toronto population.
These numbers revealed a crisis for the African Canadian community in Toronto and indicated that the child welfare system perpetuates the systemic anti-Black racism in larger society. For CAST, the data provided a concrete reason to assess and address the impact that current service delivery models were having on the African Canadian community, and resulted in a focused effort to address anti-Black racism in its work. Examples of initiatives and interventions taken by CAST to address racial disparities included creating a stakeholders advisory group and looking at research and data to identify patterns of referral. According to data shared in CAST's annual report two years later in 2017, the number of African Canadian youth being admitted to care decreased (although the number was still disproportionately high).
While there is a long road ahead to achieve equity, CAST has already begun to implement action plans to improve outcomes for African Canadian children, youth, and families. Under the Identity-Based Data Collection Initiative and using the data standard, CAST will also be able to collect and analyze data that provides a fuller picture of how different communities are experiencing child welfare, as well as contribute to province-wide reporting to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.
Links
- How collecting race-based data can dramatically improve child welfare services [2016]Kike Ojo, Project Manager of One Vision One Voice, explains how acknowledging racial differences will result in better service.
- Drop in number of Black children placed in care heralded as good start [2017]This article from the Toronto Star reports on the efforts of the Children's Aid Society of Toronto to address anti-Black racism in its work following a release of the agency's race-based data.
- Helping children in need requires broad solutions [2017]This opinion piece by Jamil Jivani, former vice chair of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, describes efforts - and challenges - of addressing racial disparities in child welfare.
- Addressing disproportionality, disparity and discrimination in child welfare [2015]Publication from the Children's Aid Society of Toronto reporting on data related to Black African Caribbean Canadian families and children
- Interrupted childhoods: Over-representation of Indigenous and Black children in Ontario child welfare [2018]This report from the Ontario Human Rights Commission outlines findings from a public interest inquiry which found that there are significant inconsistences and gaps in the race-based data collected by Children's Aid Societies, and that Indigenous and African Canadian children are overrepresented in Ontario's child welfare system
- What good data mean for black youth in foster care [2018]Globe and Mail news story covering the Power Up! Symposium as well as the importance of race-based data for African Canadian youth in care.
