African Nova Scotian Affairs - Government of Nova Scotia

Dear African Nova Scotian Community Members,

We are writing to invite you to participate in a workshop focusing on “Examining protective factors for children’s welfare: the case of Indigenous, African Nova Scotian, and Immigrant and Refugee Children in the HRM.”

Children from Indigenous, Black, and other racial minority groups in Canada have historically been over-represented in child welfare settings and among children and youth in care. The inequities experienced by families whose children have been taken into provincial care are linked to intersecting factors, such as gender, race, colonialism, citizenship, immigration, and socio-economic status. Involvement in Child Protection Services impacts the health and wellbeing of children, families, and communities. However, we know relatively little about the informal and formal support systems that are available to these families and communities to prevent children from being taken into care in Nova Scotia. 

This workshop will share findings from the one-year study Examining protective factors for children’s welfare: the case of Indigenous, African Nova Scotian, and Immigrant and Refugee Children in the HRM, and engage African Nova Scotians in a discussion on the protective factors that prevent the entry and re-entry of African Nova Scotian children into state care.

African Nova Scotian community members are invited to attend this workshop. 

The study was undertaken by an interprofessional, inter-racial research team drawn from the community, the provincial government and academia. The team members are:

Dr. Sara Torres, Laurentian University School of Social Work;

Dr. Ingrid Waldron, Dalhousie University School of Nursing;

Dr. Nancy Ross, Dalhousie University School of Social Work;

Mrs Winnie Grant, Association of Black Social Workers of Nova Scotia;

Prof. Naiomi Metallic, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Law;

Ms. Jemell Moriah, Association of Black Social Workers,

Ms. Natalie Downey, Department of Community Services, and

Ms. Wenka Guesdal, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia.

For information about how that study was conducted you can contact:

Dr. Torres directly at 1(800) 461-4030 ext 5034 or by email storres@laurentian.ca
Dr. Waldron by telephone at (902) 494-4267 or by email iwaldron@dal.ca

Daycare & Bus tickets

Daycare will be provided onsite.  Please confirm the number of children ahead of time.
Bus tickets bus tickets should you need it.

We look forward to speaking with you at the workshop.