Strengthening Institutional Responses: Criminal Justice, Child Welfare, And Immigration Systems

This article draws on a report recently released by our research partners. It was drafted following a conference and research project conducted by Toronto Metropolitan University’s Rights for Children and Youth Partnership (RCYP). This event and project was done in partnership with Peel CAS’ CWICE, York University, the University of Waterloo, Legal Aid Ontario, and Step Stones for Youth. These collaborators contributed to both the data collection and the development of the findings presented in this research.

In August 2022, Toronto, Ontario, RCYP hosted a significant three-day conference titled Strengthening Institutional Responses, aimed at advancing the rights and well-being of children and youth. The conference was organized by the Rights for Children and Youth Partnership (RCYP), a research initiative housed in the School of Social Work at Toronto Metropolitan University. The conference was a collaborative effort involving several key organizing partners: the Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence (CWICE), Legal Aid Ontario (LAO), Step Stones for Youth, the University of Waterloo, and Toronto Metropolitan University, with generous funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

“It was an incredible opportunity to be part of the organizing committee for this conference. We had been fortunate to participate on a panel at RCYP’s conference in 2019. This team built on that conference and successfully brought together a network of service and legal providers, with academics, to discuss several fields of study and practice. All of this happens to intersect in the lives of the clients we serve in CWICE. For us, it was important to plan an event that invited cross-sector collaboration, discussion, and innovation” – Danielle Ungara, CWICE Manager

The primary objective of the Strengthening Institutional Responses conference was to examine and elevate the voices of young people involved in Ontario’s child welfare, criminal justice, and immigration systems. By centering their experiences, the conference sought to draw attention to service gaps, systemic barriers, and areas of limited knowledge that often contribute to poor outcomes for these youth—particularly those who are racialized or newcomers.

To advance this objective, the conference was guided by four specific goals. First, to disseminate empirical, evidence-based research that critically explores institutional practices and their effects on children and youth. Second, to provide a platform for youth with lived experience in one or more of these systems to engage meaningfully with researchers and practitioners on issues directly impacting their lives. Third, to highlight current academic and practice-informed knowledge in order to identify gaps in service provision, research, and policy. Finally, the conference aimed to foster multi-sector collaboration—promoting the exchange of knowledge and best practices, inspiring new community-based initiatives, and ultimately improving outcomes for marginalized youth populations across Canada.

To support the achievement of its goals, the conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders representing various sectors connected to child welfare, immigration, and justice. Participants included youth with lived experience, community practitioners, child welfare workers, legal professionals, academic researchers, and government stakeholders. This diverse mix ensured a broad range of perspectives and fostered dialogue across disciplines and sectors. The program featured a dynamic mix of presentations, multi-sector panel discussions, and interactive training sessions, all aimed at deepening understanding and encouraging collaborative problem-solving. Also, participants worked in cross-sector groups to develop innovative, actionable solutions to the systemic challenges identified throughout the sessions. This collaborative effort emphasized the importance of continued partnership and co-creation in building more responsive and equitable systems for children and youth.

The research presented at the conference underscored the deep interconnections between the child welfare, criminal justice, and immigration systems—and the complex, overlapping challenges faced by the young people who navigate them. A key theme was the critical transition that occurs when youth turn 18 in Ontario, exposing the limitations of age-based cutoffs that abruptly end access to essential supports. Drawing comparisons between transition planning in child welfare and release planning in the criminal justice system, the research highlighted significant service gaps that leave many young people vulnerable. Special attention was given to the experiences of youth with precarious citizenship status, who face heightened risks—particularly when aging out of care without secure legal status. The discussion also addressed broader systemic issues, including the complexities of data sharing, privacy, and consent, and clarified common misconceptions about access to child welfare and criminal justice records. These structural challenges were shown to have a profound impact on young people’s sense of identity and belonging. For instance, living under the constant threat of deportation can severely disrupt a youth's developing identity and sense of stability. Throughout, the importance of centering youth voices remained a consistent and guiding principle. In conclusion, the research calls for a coordinated, multi-sector approach and a shift toward upstream, preventive strategies to better support youth navigating these interconnected systems.

CWICE was proud to have staff attend and participate as panelists in the conference. We wish to thank Rosario Elmy and Fatima Mukai for participating in the 3 day event. The final recommendations emerging from the research offer actionable strategies across the child welfare, criminal justice, and immigration systems—proposals that hold the potential to improve outcomes for young people both now and in the future.

Key among these is the call to extend certain provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act to individuals aged 18 to 29, in ways that reflect their ongoing developmental needs. In the immigration context, the report urges the creation of clear and accessible pathways to Canadian citizenship for immigrant and refugee youth—ideally made available before they reach the age of 18 to prevent legal and social precarity. Within the child welfare system, the research recommends moving away from rigid, age-based cutoffs and instead adopting a “life course approach to care.” This model advocates for developmentally appropriate, consistent, and compassionate support that spans from early childhood into adulthood. To ensure smoother transitions across systems, a comprehensive planning framework—encompassing pre-transition, transition, and post-transition phases—is also proposed. Together, these recommendations aim to foster a more responsive, equitable, and youth-centred system of care and support across sectors.

To read the full report, please visit: Strengthening Institutional Responses: Criminal Justice, Child Welfare, and Immigration Systems

About the Author

Ghezal Wallid is a Data and Research Coordinator at Peel CAS in the Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence (CWICE). She holds a Master of Development Policy from the Korea Development Institute (KDI). Ghezal has over 5 years of experience in the humanitarian and social services sectors. She has experience working with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and CORDAID to create a safe, positive, and caring environment for the community, with expertise in coordinating program and response plans and researching evidence-based practices and interventions to improve the quality of services to the vulnerable. In her current role, Ghezal focuses on leveraging data-driven solutions to enhance child welfare practices and outcomes at Peel CAS