Are Ontario's new stricter background checks hurting kids in care?
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Are Ontario's new stricter background checks hurting kids in care?
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About this listen
Guests: Star reporters Amy Dempsey Raven and Megan Ogilvie
A new Ontario law was meant to protect vulnerable children in care, but it may be deepening the very crisis it set out to solve. The province has expanded police background checks for people working or volunteering in the child welfare system. But under the new rules, it is not just criminal records that show up. Any documented interaction with police, including traffic stops, noise complaints or mental health calls, could be flagged.Experts warn this opens the door to discrimination and bias, especially for racialized and marginalized communities who face disproportionate police contact. Meanwhile, child welfare agencies say the rollout has been chaotic, delaying adoptions and disrupting foster placements at a time when the system is already under strain.
This episode was produced by Sean Pattendon and Paulo Marques.