Research & Evaluation in Children, Youth, and Family Services Policies

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https://hdl.handle.net/1828/20429

GS505: Research & Evaluation in Children, Youth, and Family Services Policies is an interdisciplinary course that is open to all graduate students at UVic including in the School of Child and Youth Care (SCYC). The course provides supervised opportunities for graduate students to work on applied research projects identified by and in collaboration with sponsors in the provincial Ministry of Children & Family Development (MCFD). All projects are completed within one semester and focus on text-based research methods to generate accessible knowledge products that will be used by MCFD and may be used by students as part of their own graduate research project/thesis. This repository contains summary research reports generated by graduate students in this course.

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 10

Rethinking justice: Jurisdictional insights into alternatives to youth custody
(University of Victoria, 2025) Merritt, Krys
Over the past 22 years, Canada’s approach to youth justice has shifted dramatically. The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) applies to youth involved in the criminal justice system (CJS), and in 2019, this Act was amended with the goal of reducing the number of young people sentenced to custody by encouraging meaningful alternatives to incarceration while considering public safety (Department of Justice Canada, n.d.). The Government of British Columbia (BC) has implemented and sustained community-based programs in response to the amendment, resulting in relatively low youth crime and custody rates compared to other provinces and territories (Ministry of Children and Family Development, 2024). However, the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) has indicated that youth justice is a service area priority, and to better support young people, victims, and the community, MCFD is setting out to strengthen alternative measures and approaches for youth in the CJS (Ministry of Children and Family Development, 2024).
Supporting cultural and relational connections with Indigenous children and youth in care: A literature review
(University of Victoria, 2023) Eddy, Sarah
Cultural connections play an important role in the overall health and well-being of Indigenous peoples (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.) and can work as a protective factor for Indigenous children and youth (Chandler & Lalonde, 1998). Indigenous children and youth continue to be overrepresented in the child welfare system (Government of Canada, 2023) in British Columbia (BC) and are likely to lose connections to their cultures, families, and communities (Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks, 2024; Quinn, 2020) particularly when they are placed in non-Indigenous homes (Choate & Tortorelli, 2022; Oliver, 2020). This disconnection can have negative impacts on children and youth’s mental health, self-esteem, and sense of belonging (Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks, 2024). Despite recommendations laid out in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada Calls to Action (Navia et al., 2018; Special Advisor Grand Chief Ed John, 2016) and from the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) in BC (Representative for Children and Youth, 2024), Indigenous children and youth in care, specifically on continuing care orders (CCOs), lack supports in maintaining cultural and relational continuity. The Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) have identified the need to address barriers and gain insight into how Indigenous children and youth on Continuing Care Orders (CCOs) can be best supported.
Supporting the future of the child and family services sector in British Columbia: A jurisdictional scan of financial assistance for post-secondary students
(University of Victoria, 2025) Chen, Jasmine
The child and family service sector includes the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) in British Columbia (BC) with a workforce of about 5,000 employees (Ministry of Children and Family Development [MCFD], n.d.) and contracts with hundreds of agencies with approximately 20,000 positions (Community Social Services Employers Association of British Columbia [CSSEA], 2025). This sector provides a wide range of direct services to support the well-being of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children, youth, and families1 (MCFD, 2023). This sector encompasses various professional roles, which include social and community service workers (National Occupational Classification [NOC] 42201), early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202), social workers (NOC 41300), therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies (NOC 41301), and managers in social, community and correction services (NOC 40030).
Healing through tradition: The role of Indigenous elder support in child and youth mental health services in Canada
(University of Victoria, 2023) Doucette, Maddy
Fostering engagement by working relationally: Supporting parents and caregivers following a substantiated child protection concern
(University of Victoria, 2023) Lowdermilk, Amber
How literature on family preservation can inform the child protection and early years' service lines: A report for the MInistry of Children and Family Development
(University of Victoria, 2023) Laboucane, Seagun
Innovation, communication, and collaboration: Understanding family group decision making models in Canada and beyond
(University of Victoria, 2024) Ramsay, Jasmine
Beyond the office: The role of clinical outreach services in counselling with Indigenous children, youth, and families
(University of Victoria, 2024) Elgharbawy, Heba
Exploring harm reduction strategies for foster parents caring for youth who use substances
(University of Victoria, 2024) Cesar Riani Costa, Luiza
Thriving and affirmed: Supporting positive 2SLGBTQI+ care experiences in British Columbia
(University of Victoria, 2024) Purser, Annilea

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