Child and youth protection

Child and youth protection involves identifying potential harm to children and youth and supporting them—and their families—to ensure their safety and well-being.

A father holds his infant daughter with Down Syndrome while reading a picture book to her.
A young boy dressed in winter clothes outside in the snow stands behind his younger brother and hugs him.

Protection investigations

When there is a concern about the safety or well-being of a child or youth, a referral can be made to Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County. If the concern is significant enough to investigate, a protection investigation will be opened to determine how best to support the child or youth and their family. 

Physical, sexual, and emotional harm are the most common reasons for protection investigations in our community
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Physical, sexual, and emotional harm are the most common reasons for protection investigations in our community

Stressful or traumatic experiences during childhood—such as abuse—affect the developing brain and body and can increase the risk of negative health outcomes later in life. [1] 

It is possible to prevent and reduce the effects of early adversity. Supporting caring, stable relationships with adults can help children develop the capacity to cope with the effects of early adversity. [2] All adults—parents, caregivers, teachers, coaches, neighbours, faith leaders—can build connections with children and youth to support positive experiences and promote lifelong well-being. 

A bar graph shows the primary reasons for protection investigation in Guelph and Wellington County between April 2019 and March 2020. For a full description of the graph, refer to the “Read graph as text” section.
From April 2019 through March 2020, physical, sexual, and emotional harm were the most common reasons for protection investigations in Guelph and Wellington County. A bar graph shows the primary reasons for protection investigation in Guelph and Wellington County between April 2019 and March 2020. The y-axis shows the primary reason for protection investigation, and the x-axis shows the percentage of all protection investigations. Percentages are as follows: emotional harm and exposure to conflict 30%; physical or sexual harm 27%; caregiver needing additional support to prevent harm 20%; neglect 16%; separation and abandonment 7%. Source: Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County
A young boy plays with toy cars in the grass with his father.

Children and youth in care

If children and youth need protection and there are no other options to keep them safe, they are removed from their home and placed in care. This may mean living with extended family or kin, in a group home, or in a foster home. 

The number of children and youth in care is decreasing in our community
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The number of children and youth in care is decreasing in our community

All children and youth benefit from safe, stable, and nurturing relationships with their caregivers. [1] Past trauma and the turbulence of being in care can make it hard for children and youth to build positive relationships with their caregivers. As a result, they often face health and social challenges. For example, children in care are less likely to graduate high school or attend post-secondary education and they often face challenges securing employment and housing. [2][3] 

Supporting children and youth in care to build positive connections with their caregivers can help to buffer the effects of early adversity. [1] 

An area graph shows the number of children and youth age 0 to 20 years who were in care in Guelph and Wellington County from the 2007/2008 fiscal year to the 2019/2020 fiscal year. For a full description of the graph, refer to the “Read graph as text” section.
The number of children and youth age 0 to 20 years in care in Guelph and Wellington County is decreasing. An area graph shows the number of children and youth age 0 to 20 years who were in care in Guelph and Wellington County from the 2007/2008 fiscal year to the 2019/2020 fiscal year. The x-axis shows the fiscal year, and the y-axis shows the number of children in care. The number of children in care steadily decreased from 264 in 2007/2008 to 196 in 2019/2020. Source: Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County
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References

  1. Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., Koss, M. P., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245–258. 
  2. National Scientific Council of the Developing Child. (2020). Connecting the brain to the rest of the body: Early childhood development and lifelong health are deeply intertwined. Working paper no. 15. Harvard University. 
  1. National Scientific Council of the Developing Child. (2020). Connecting the brain to the rest of the body: Early childhood development and lifelong health are deeply intertwined. Working paper no. 15. Harvard University. 
  2. Stoddart, J. K. (2012). Using research and outcome data to improve the educational services and supports for young people in care: A case study of a local children’s aid society in Ontario. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(6), 1154–1160. 
  3. Jones, L. (2011). The first three years after foster care: A longitudinal look at the adaptation of 16 youth to emerging adulthood. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(10), 1919–1929. 
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Data sources

Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County. (n.d.). Personal communication.

Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County. (n.d.). Personal communication.

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