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Indigenous kids make up more than half of children in foster care: census

Sep 21, 2022 | 7:16 AM

WINNIPEG — Statistics Canada’s latest release of 2021 census data shows Indigenous children continue to be overrepresented in the child welfare system. 

Data collected shows Indigenous children accounted for 53.8 per cent of all children in foster care. 

This number has gone up slightly compared to the 2016 census, when Indigenous children accounted for 52.2 per cent of children in care. 

More than three per cent of Indigenous children living in private households in 2021 were in foster care, compared to the less than one per cent of non-Indigenous children.

Indigenous children accounted for 7.7 per cent of all children 14 years of age of younger in Canada. 

The Liberal government instituted legislation in 2020 that sought to reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous children and youth in foster care and to improve child and family services. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2022. 

The Canadian Press