Children involved in child welfare services (CWS) are often positioned as vulnerable individuals in need of protection. While the right to be heard is a fundamental aspect of child welfare policy, many young people receiving services find themselves excluded from the very decisions that shape their lives. This article explores the experiences of thirty-three young people in Nova Scotia, Canada, revealing a striking pattern of feeling unheard, uninformed, and uninvolved. Through qualitative research, it becomes clear that meaningful child participation is often an aspiration rather than a reality. The findings indicate that including young people in decision-making processes fosters trust, improves cooperation, and enhances well-being both during and after their time in care.

The concept of child participation is widely recognized in social work. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Canada ratified in 1991, guarantees children the right to be heard in matters that concern them. Despite this, child protection systems frequently emphasize safeguarding over empowerment. Social workers, bound by legal and procedural obligations, often view children as passive recipients rather than active participants. This perspective not only limits children’s agency but also exacerbates their sense of isolation and powerlessness within the system. Additionally, bureaucratic barriers, high caseloads, and risk-averse policies contribute to an environment where social workers prioritize procedural efficiency over meaningful engagement with young people.

One of the most prominent themes emerging from the study is that children feel unheard by their caseworkers and other professionals. Many young people report that, even when encouraged to share their concerns, their voices are dismissed or their experiences questioned. One participant, an eighteen-year-old male, described how he was invited to express himself but found that nothing changed as a result. Others recounted being outright accused of lying when attempting to discuss issues with their social workers, teachers, or therapists. This lack of trust and belief in their experiences led to growing resentment and detachment from the system meant to support them. The perception that social workers act as gatekeepers rather than advocates reinforces a cycle of disengagement, as children lose confidence in the system’s ability to address their concerns.

The problem extends beyond not being heard—many children are also uninformed about critical aspects of their care. Young people in the study frequently expressed frustration at being left out of key decisions, such as where they would live or when they could see their families. Some recounted experiences of being suddenly moved to new placements without prior notice or explanation. In extreme cases, young people were subjected to traumatic transitions, such as being taken into care without understanding the circumstances, placed in residential facilities without prior knowledge of what to expect, or having their case files lost due to administrative errors. The absence of clear communication left many feeling powerless and confused. This systemic failure to provide timely, accurate, and child-friendly information further alienates youth from their own case planning.

Feeling uninformed naturally leads to a broader sense of being uninvolved in one’s own life. Many participants in the study felt that they had little to no control over major decisions. Some reported being forced into therapy against their will, while others were pressured to accept adoption despite their objections. The lack of agency in these deeply personal decisions reinforced a feeling of helplessness, making them question whether their preferences and opinions mattered at all. This detachment not only impacts their emotional well-being but also their long-term ability to navigate adulthood successfully, as they are deprived of opportunities to develop critical decision-making skills.

Faced with these challenges, young people developed various coping strategies to regain a sense of control. Some withheld information from their caseworkers, providing only minimal details in an effort to protect themselves from perceived manipulation. Others adopted more overtly defiant tactics, such as pretending to cooperate with treatment plans in order to expedite their release from care. In extreme cases, some youth attempted to run away, seeing it as their only means of asserting autonomy over their lives. These coping mechanisms highlight a deeper systemic failure: when young people do not feel included in their own care, they resort to strategies that ultimately undermine their well-being and disrupt the very services meant to support them. The cycle of mistrust and disengagement only serves to reinforce negative outcomes, including homelessness, mental health struggles, and involvement with the justice system after aging out of care.

The study’s findings underscore a fundamental need for systemic change in child welfare services. Meaningful participation should not be an afterthought but an integral part of the care process. Social workers and policymakers must actively work to ensure that young people are consistently informed, consulted, and given genuine opportunities to shape the decisions that affect them. Training for caseworkers should emphasize the importance of treating children as active agents rather than passive subjects. Additionally, standardized guidelines should be implemented to guarantee that all children, regardless of their circumstances, are given a voice in their care. More accountability measures should also be put in place to ensure that professionals who neglect to involve youth in decision-making are held responsible for their actions. Furthermore, investing in independent advocates or youth advisory boards could offer additional support in ensuring that children’s perspectives are taken seriously.

This research highlights the stark contrast between the ideals of child participation and the lived realities of young people in the child welfare system. While policies exist to protect children’s rights, their implementation remains inconsistent. The voices of young people must be central to any reform efforts, ensuring that child welfare services not only safeguard their well-being but also empower them to take an active role in shaping their futures. Without deliberate and meaningful structural changes, the disempowerment experienced by young people in care will continue, perpetuating cycles of mistrust and disengagement that undermine the very goals child welfare services aim to achieve.

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