Research and Evaluation in Child, Youth and Family Services
The Centre for the Study of Services to Children and Families (CSSCF) produces the Research and Evaluation in Child, Youth, and Family Services e-journal. The CSSCF is dedicated to identifying and supporting the development of evidence-informed policies, programs, and services aimed at improving the lives of children, youth, and families from diverse social contexts. The CSSCF e-journal provides an open-access platform to disseminate peer-reviewed research articles. Research and Evaluation in Child, Youth, and Family Services showcases contemporary research on the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-informed practice and policies impacting children, youth, and families. The research presented in the e-journal will be relevant to students, academics, policymakers, and practitioners working in the area of children, youth and family services.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Inrernational License. Copyright for articles published in this journal is retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. By virtue of their appearance in this open access journal, articles are free to use, with propoer attribution, in edicational and other non-commercial settings.
Culturally Centered Approaches for Indigenous Youth Accessing Mental Health Services as They Transition to Adult Mental Health
This research study explores the experiences of Indigenous youth in British Columbia as they transition from the Indigenous Child and Youth Mental Health (ICYMH) services to adult mental health services. The purpose of this research is to assess how culturally appropriate the current transition process is and to identify service gaps that affect Indigenous youth and their families during this critical life stage.The study is guided by the Aboriginal Policy and Practice Framework (APPF), which emphasizes holistic, trauma-informed, and culturally safe services for Indigenous children and youth. The framework encourages collaboration with communities, the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and healing, and support systems that are relationship-focused and community-driven. Indigenous understandings of health are holistic, emphasizing the emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental well-being of individuals, families, and communities. These worldviews also place strong importance on land-based healing, relationships with Elders, and cultural continuity. However, many mainstream services remain focused on Western medication and individual treatment models without incorporating these worldviews. This disconnection is particularly harmful in the context of a long history of colonization, including the legacy of residential schools and the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system. These experiences have contributed to intergenerational trauma and disengagement in government services. To better understand the transition experience, this qualitative study involved a focus group with ICYMH staff members from the Fraser region, including clinicians, outreach workers, and an Indigenous Elder was conducted. All participants had direct experience supporting youth aged 17–19 as they prepared for transitioning to adult services. Data was analyzed through two stages of coding to identify recurring patterns and meaningful insights. Four major themes emerged from the research. First, participants emphasized the importance of Indigenous worldviews and cultural healing practices. Ceremonies, land-based activities, and working with Elders play an important role in Indigenous wellness but are rarely integrated into adult services. Second, the research revealed widespread frustration with system navigation. Youth face long waitlists, unclear processes, and strict eligibility criteria that often exclude those who are struggling but not considered “severe enough” clinically for immediate intervention. Navigating the transition independently, especially when dealing with mental health challenges, can leave youth feeling overwhelmed and unsupported. Third, participants identified systemic barriers and service gaps in mainstream mental health care. Staff often lack the capacity or tools to find culturally appropriate services for youth, revealing difficulties in navigating. Service lists are vague, and adult services are often not designed with Indigenous cultural safety in mind. As a result, many youth are referred to the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), but access may be limited due to bureaucratic complexity such as the need for a status card. Lastly, the theme of a need for creating doors and bridges for Indigenous youth to access adult mental health services was strongly reflected in participants’ experiences. Many youth are disconnected from their cultural roots and lack the information needed to verify their Indigenous identity. This creates emotional distress, reinforces feelings of not belonging, and limits access to culturally relevant care. Several limitations should be acknowledged. The research included only staff perspectives and was limited to one region. The views of Indigenous youth, families, and adult service providers were not represented, and future studies should include these voices. Nonetheless, the study offers clear recommendations. These include expanding Indigenous health liaison roles in adult services, improving access to cultural safety training for service providers, building stronger community partnerships, and enhancing the accessibility of culturally relevant healing practices.
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Gender-Affirming Caregiving Strategies for Foster Parents in British Columbia
The recent Right to Thrive report by the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) in British Columbia (BC) revealed that the BC child welfare system does not currently provide adequate supports for Two Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary, and Gender Diverse (2STNBGD) youth to experience safety, security, or belonging (RCY, 2023). As a result, 2STNBGD youth in care have been found to have increased risks of self-harm, suicidality, and housing instability relative to their cisgender peers. The RCY has called on the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) to implement mandatory gender-affirming caregiving training. This study aims to identify best practices for foster caregivers to support the safety and belonging of 2STNBGD children and youth in a BC child welfare context. Research participants identified caregiving strategies supportive of 2STNBGD youth in care to offer potential guidance to mitigate harm and provide affirmative support for 2STNBGD children and youth, thereby increasing their sense of security and belonging. An integrative theoretical framework drawing on the minority stress, postcolonial and family resilience theories was used to provide context for the consistently poorer outcomes experienced by 2STNBGD children and youth. Mental health disparities emerge from the reality that minority group members face more individual-level and societal-level stressors (Hunter et al., 2021). This is particularly salient for youth in government care who often navigate intersecting systems of ageism, cissexism and racism. Therefore, attending to this intersectional oppression is key to gender-affirming caregiving. Lastly, this framework explained that a resilient families may reconfigure its internal organization and communication practices in response to shared adversity by privileging the lived experience of the 2STNBGD child (Heiden-Rootes, 2024; Walsh, 2015). Participants were recruited with the support of the British Columbia Foster Parent Association (BCFPA). The sample included nine caregivers who identified as women, men, or gender diverse, were of European and/or Indigenous ancestry, and lived in both urban and rural regions of British Columbia. Most participants had over sixteen years of fostering experience, and the remaining participants ranged from four to nine years of experience. All participants had cared for at least one 2STNBGD child/youth aged six to nineteen, though most care occurred exclusively in the teenage years. Semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually with the participants to gather details on specific gender-affirming caregiving strategies. Guided by MCFD’s Aboriginal Practice and Policy Framework in British Columbia (2015), interview questions were reviewed by an Indigenous Elder and Trans Indigenous former youth in care to ensure appropriateness and sensitivity. Responses were transcribed, analysed through a thematic approach, and distilled into six key themes. Our analysis identified six themes that reflect gender-affirming strategies that emphasize the importance of ensuring caregiver behaviours embody self-awareness, advocacy, and building trust to support the well-being of 2STNBGD children and youth in care. A relational approach to caregiving that emphasizes advocacy and navigation of interpersonal and structural barriers helps address the unique stressors impacting 2STNBGD youth in care. A willingness to engage in self-reflection and proactive behaviours that address transphobia and protect children and youth is critical for an effective gender-affirming approach and foundation of safety, security, and belonging. This research suggests caregivers should prioritize relational caregiving practices focusing on fostering connection with youth as a pathway to gender affirming care. Additionally, caregivers should be supporting youth in accessing supports and services at an institutional level. Considerations for MCFD include support for gender-affirming caregiving through the development of formal education and training for caregivers highlighting relational caregiving practices and critical reflexivity skills. Formal advocacy support for caregivers of 2STNBGD youth is also indicated in the research findings. Finally, to support the representation of 2STNBGD youth voices in future studies, researchers should consider significant changes to study design to include this community. This study suggests that a multi-pronged and integrated use of intrapersonal, interpersonal and institutional strategies are most important for effective gender-affirming caregiving. This includes practicing critical reflexivity, cultivating a deeply present and responsive relationship with the youth, and supporting their navigation of oppressive institutions.
The Impact of the Quality of Supervisory Relationships on Burnout in Child Protection Social Workers: Examination Through an Attachment Theory Lens
This report provides an overview of a research project conducted by student researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in partnership with the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). The study examined how supervisory relationships influence the onset and severity of burnout among frontline child protection workers in British Columbia. Attachment theory was used as a guiding framework to understand how emotional safety and consistency in supervision might act as protective factors. The study used a mixed-methods approach. Survey data were collected from 84 participants, followed by six qualitative interviews with frontline workers and team leaders. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and supervisory relationship quality was assessed using the Short Supervisory Relationship Questionnaire (S-SRQ). Quantitative findings showed that supportive supervision was associated with lower emotional exhaustion. Supervisors who were emotionally available, consistent, and reflective were linked to reduced burnout. However, perceived workload had a stronger association with emotional exhaustion than supervisory support, and supervision was not significantly related to other burnout dimensions such as depersonalization or personal accomplishment. Interview findings reinforced the importance of emotionally safe supervisory relationships but also highlighted that even strong supervision could not fully mitigate broader organizational pressures. This study had several limitations, including reliance on self-report tools, the inability to establish causation, and potential self-selection bias among participants. The S-SRQ was developed in a different context, which may affect how well it captured supervisory dynamics within MCFD. The MBI has been critiqued for its limited ability to capture a consistent definition of burnout and for overlooking structural factors. Findings from this study suggest that reducing burnout requires a dual approach. Strengthening supervision is important, but it must be supported by manageable workloads, adequate staffing, and space for supervisors to engage meaningfully with their teams. Future efforts should focus on improving both relational supports and structural conditions to promote worker well-being. In conclusion, attachment-informed supervision played a protective role against emotional exhaustion, but it was not a standalone solution. Addressing both relational and systemic factors is essential to support a resilient and sustainable child protection workforce.