You have been invited to participate in a research study being run by the International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP) if you have lived experience in the child welfare system.
The study aims to explore intergenerational relationships, lived experiences of former children and youth who aged out of the Ontario child welfare system, and child welfare policy and practices.
The research question is: “How Do Intergenerational Relationships among People with Lived Experiences in the Ontario Child Welfare System Influence Child Welfare Policies and Practices?”
ICCRP is seeking 50 participants; to participate, you need to be:
- a resident of Canada;
- have lived experiences in the Child Welfare System of Ontario; and
- part of one of these age cohorts:
- 18-29 years of age
- 30-39 years of age
- 40-49 years of age
- 50-59 years of age
- 60+ years of age.
Participants are still eligible to participate in the research study if they are 18 years or older; and/or if they are still receiving financial support from child protection agencies.
If you do not meet these requirements, but you know someone who may meet these criteria and interested in taking part in this study, please forward this invitation to any potentially interested individual(s).
If you meet these requirements, we invite you to participate in a semi-structured virtual interview that will be no more than 60 minutes long. Your participation will involve:
- communicating with research assistants via email about your availability for the interview;
- disclosing personal information to demonstrate your eligibility(e.g.your age, if you are a resident of Canada or not, lived experience in the Child Welfare system of Ontario); and
- attend a one-hour virtual(audio)/phone interview with me and another research team member and answer the study questions.
If you are interested in volunteering in this study, we will send you another email at least two weeks before the interview date with information about the ICCRP in it, and a consent form that includes brief information about the research study. You will have time to let us know if you have any questions. If you agree to participate by signing and returning the consent form, we will forward the interview questions along with a list of mental health and emotional support resources.
Your participation is completely voluntary. No financial compensation will be provided, but will provide an opportunity to engage in other ICCRP activities if you consent us to contact you in future. Please know that there is no requirement to participate in this study. You may know our lead co-investigator or other research team members due to their extensive experiences in the child welfare system in Ontario.
If you choose not to participate, it will not impact your relationship with either of the primary investigators, Jane Kovarikova or Tara Collins, or other research assistants, your relationship with Child Welfare Political Action Committee, or Toronto Metropolitan University. This means that your participation would have no impact on the decisions or services provided by these organizations/networks in Ontario.
If you participate, your identity will not be shared with others outside of the research team. You have the right to withdraw voluntarily from participation or parts of participation at any time without providing any reasons.
The research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC) and has been reviewed and approved by the Toronto Metropolitan University Research Ethics Board Reference ID 2023-057.
If you are interested in more information about the study or would like to volunteer, please email Jessielynncross@torontomu.ca or you can choose to contact Tara Collins by email tara.collins@torontomu.ca or call 416-979-5000, ext. 554563.
