Ontario's Child Welfare System Is Under Pressure

That last part is where Ontario is under real pressure.

According to the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies’ 2025 Child Welfare & Out-of-Home Care infographic, 97% of child welfare investigations result in children and youth remaining at home with their families. The same infographic reports that 2% of investigations result in children or youth being placed in informal kinship arrangements, 1% result in placement in foster care, and fewer than 1% result in placement in treatment or group homes.

OACAS’ Facts and Figures page gives another view of the scale of the system. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, based on reporting from 37 non-Indigenous member agencies, OACAS reported approximately 125,000 calls and referrals, more than 63,000 full child-protection investigations, and said that 86% of completed investigations did not require further protection services.

Those numbers matter. They challenge the common idea that child welfare involvement automatically means a child is removed from home. OACAS describes the goal of child welfare agencies as keeping children and youth at home and in their communities wherever possible by connecting families with culturally relevant supports, resources, and networks that strengthen the family unit. When that is not possible, agencies look for out-of-home care options, including kin, alternate caregivers, and service providers.

For the smaller group of children and youth who do need care outside their home, the question is not simply, “Is there a bed?” The better question is, “Is this the right place for this child?”

Out-of-home care can take different forms

“Out-of-home care” is a broad term. OACAS’ 2025 infographic lists several types of arrangements, including kinship service, customary care, kinship care, family-based foster care, group care, voluntary youth services, transition-to-independence supports, and unlicensed care.

These arrangements are not all the same. The same OACAS infographic defines kinship service as children and youth not in care being placed with extended family, kin, or community. It defines customary care as care of a First Nation, Inuk, or Metis child or youth by someone who is not their parent, in a way that follows the customs and traditions of their First Nation, Inuit, or Metis community or band. It defines family-based foster care as children and youth placed with non-relatives in licensed family-based placements.

Whenever possible, children benefit from staying connected to family, community, school, siblings, culture, and familiar adults. OACAS’ There to Care information says foster caregivers provide important support in maintaining children’s connections with parents, extended family, and community while they are in care, and it describes separation from family as a risk to children’s safety and well-being.

But not every child can be safely supported through kinship or customary care. Some children need a licensed foster home. Some need specialized care because of developmental, physical, medical, emotional, behavioural, or mental-health needs. Some need a setting with more structure and support. Some need careful planning so that siblings, identity, school, medical appointments, family time, and therapeutic supports are not lost in the move.

Why the system is under pressure

Ontario’s child welfare system is facing several pressures at the same time.

One pressure is the shortage of available homes. In June 2024, OACAS reported that available foster homes in Ontario had dropped by 33.6% since 2020. OACAS has also said there is an urgent need for placements that can support sibling groups, older children and youth, infants, and children and youth with complex needs.

Another pressure is complexity. Many children and youth who need out-of-home care are not only looking for a safe place to stay. OACAS has described particular challenges finding appropriate care for children and youth with complex needs, including social, emotional, developmental, mental-health, and addictions-related needs.

Cost of living and housing pressures also matter. In its response to the Ontario Ombudsman’s investigation into hotel, motel, office, and trailer placements, OACAS noted that kin and alternate caregivers may want to help but may not have the financial flexibility or physical space to welcome a child or youth into their home.

These pressures are not abstract. In September 2024, the Ontario Ombudsman announced an investigation into the practice of child welfare agencies placing children and youth in hotels, motels, offices, and trailers. In the Ombudsman’s 2024-2025 Annual Report, the office said the ongoing investigation is focused on young children and teens, many of whom have complex special needs, being placed in these settings because of a lack of appropriate homes and supports.

No child should have their needs reduced to whatever placement happens to be available that day. Children need care that is safe, stable, and suited to who they are.

The right match matters

Children entering care may already have experienced loss, instability, trauma, disrupted relationships, or major changes in daily routine. OACAS’ There to Care page emphasizes that finding a home that matches a child’s identities and needs is critical, including considerations such as race, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, caregiver experience, and the child’s individual needs.

A good match does not mean everything becomes easy. Foster care and other out-of-home care arrangements can be emotionally complex for everyone involved. Children may miss home. Parents may be working through serious challenges. Caregivers may be learning what a child needs day by day.

But a thoughtful match can reduce unnecessary disruption. It can help a child feel safer sooner. It can give adults a clearer plan. It can make room for healing instead of simply managing a crisis.

Children with complex needs need more than a placement

This is especially true for children and youth living with disabilities, complex medical needs, autism, developmental delays, mental-health needs, or significant trauma.

The Ontario Ombudsman’s 2024-2025 Annual Report describes ongoing concerns about families of children with complex special needs sometimes feeling they have no choice but to surrender custody to a children’s aid society in order to get residential care and supports for their child. The report says the Ombudsman’s office received 15 such cases in 2024-2025, and that families described difficulty finding urgent funding, supported living options, and appropriate services.

For children with complex needs, a placement may involve much more than daily caregiving. Annie’s Havens’ special-needs program supports children and youth living with developmental, physical, and medical needs, including needs such as mobility support, Autism Spectrum Disorder, global developmental delays, tube or IV feeding, medically fragile care, and palliative care.

It also requires patience. A child who cannot explain what they feel may show distress through behaviour. A child with sensory needs may struggle with noise, transitions, clothing, food, or unfamiliar spaces. A child with trauma may test relationships because trust has not been safe before. A child with medical needs may need adults who can stay calm and consistent through appointments, setbacks, and emergencies.

This is one of the reasons Annie’s Havens has always had a particular focus on children and youth with developmental, physical, and medical needs. Our About Us page explains that Annie’s Havens was shaped by the Wilson family’s lived experience caring for Annie Wilson, and our Care Programs page describes our special-needs program for children and youth living with developmental, physical, and medical needs.

What helps children and families

The pressure in Ontario’s child welfare system will not be solved by one program, one agency, or one kind of placement. OACAS has said that addressing inadequate access to timely and appropriate out-of-home care requires work across levels of government, ministries, provincial partners, community organizations, and service providers.

Children and families need a stronger circle of support around them. That includes early help for families before problems become crises. It includes better access to children’s mental-health care, developmental services, disability supports, respite, and school-based support. It includes respecting kinship and cultural connections. It includes trauma-informed training for the adults around a child. It includes listening to children and youth about what helps them feel safe.

It also includes honest public understanding. Child welfare is often discussed only when something has gone wrong. But behind the headlines are children who need ordinary things: a predictable morning, a familiar school route, someone who remembers their appointments, adults who do not give up, and care that sees the whole child.

Ontario’s system is under pressure. Children should not have to carry that pressure.

To learn more about how the system works, you can read our pages on foster care in Ontario, children in care, and Annie’s Havens care programs.

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