The Role of Supervisors in Decision-Making for Black Families in Ontario’s Child Welfare System

Background and Purpose: Black families are disproportionately and disparately represented across the child welfare continuum (investigations, ongoing, out-of-home care) in Ontario, yet little is known about the role of supervision in decision-making for child welfare staff when working with Black families. This qualitative study explores how supervisors shaped workers’ experience of decision-making and practice with Black families involved with the child welfare system.

Methods: Semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups were conducted with 79 participants who were employed by or adjacent to the Ontario child welfare system (front-line child welfare workers, supervisors, agency leads, EDI specialists, and lawyers). The research team used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to identify participants’ experiences working with Black families and what influenced their decision-making. Member checking was completed by presenting preliminary findings in two consultation sessions with both study participants and child welfare practice experts, who validated the accuracy and interpretation of the results and implications.

Results: Four major themes emerged. First, participants emphasized that supervisors had the final say in the decisions made when working with Black families, which often included responding to the needs of the agency and an emphasis on accountability and compliance. Second, workers expressed that the worker-supervisor relationship was critical when navigating the stress and trauma of the work, noting that a lack of empathy and care increased the likelihood of burnout and turnover; this was further complicated for Black workers who felt additional pressures of anti-Black racism in the workplace and in the field. Third, given the power of the supervisory role and relationship, participants described the significant impact of having a Black supervisor when working with Black families, as they were able to draw from professional and lived experiences that influenced their conversations, dynamics, and understanding of contextual factors. However, opportunities for advancement for Black workers were limited. Lastly, participants shared how they circumvented their practice with Black families by managing up and being aware of their supervisor’s “risk appetite,” using their experience and competencies to challenge their supervisors and leveraging agency resources. Simultaneously, supervisors described how they created change in the context of their supervisory relationships through humility, consciousness raising, and modelling.

Conclusion and Implications: The findings reveal that supervisors have a significant impact on worker experiences and decision-making for practice with Black families involved with the child welfare system. Recommendations for practice include supervisors being critical in examining how their decisions and practices are contributing to anti-Black racism, supervisors engaging in relationship-building with workers and having ongoing conversations about how anti-Black racism manifests within social systems, and child welfare agencies ensuring that there is representation of Black staff at all levels within the agency and equitable opportunities for advancement.