Child Welfare System

Overrepresentation of Indigenous Girls

• Indigenous youth are vastly overrepresented in the child welfare system.¹
• Rooted in colonial policies like residential schools, this crisis continues through systemic racism, cultural bias, and family separation.²
• Indigenous girls are often placed in non-Indigenous homes, disconnected from their communities and cultures.³

Exposure to Violence and Exploitation

• Girls in government care face extremely high rates of sexual violence, trafficking, and grooming.⁴
• Indigenous girls in care are disproportionately targeted, with many experiencing ongoing abuse while in the child welfare system.⁵
• Institutional neglect, frequent placement changes, and lack of supervision increase girls’ vulnerability to predators online and in real life.⁶
• Exploitation is often relationship-based, gang-involved, or facilitated through social media and sextortion.⁷

Lack of Support for Education and Life Skills

• Girls in care frequently fall behind or disengage from school due to instability, trauma, and system neglect.⁸
• Many are expected to live independently at 19 without basic life skills like cooking, budgeting, or finding housing.⁹
• They often miss out on simple but vital experiences—like family dinners—that build emotional resilience and connection.¹⁰

Institutional Neglect and Instability

• Girls report feeling abandoned due to frequent social worker turnover, lack of follow-up, and poor case planning.¹¹
• Government care often fails to provide emotional support, stability, or opportunities to heal and grow.¹²
• These failures leave girls more likely to experience homelessness, addiction, and violence into adulthood.¹³