The child welfare sector is part of a larger ecosystem.
Young people in care are more at risk for sexual violence.
Leap21 includes content to connect child protection leaders and professionals with emerging research and resources that support a system level push toward health equity and social inclusion. The push has real potential to improve outcomes for young people in care.
It is a time of great change. Recent innovations and investments by the federal government focus on health equity as a goal for the health care system. As a collective goal, working toward health equity has relevance and meaning for all human services, including child welfare.
Improving health equity means changing care practices by becoming trauma and violence informed and by integrating cultural safety and harm reduction perspectives across organizations and sectors. These are key dimensions of equity-oriented care, which works to reduce avoidable inequities. The provincial and federal governments have also prioritized gender-based and intersectional analyses for policy and program development. These are system level changes that promise to get at some of the deepest roots associated with gender-based violence and oppression.
This toolkit has been designed to encourage reflection, learning and ongoing dialogue. Scroll down to explore the different topics. Be prepared that some of the topics may be challenging for children of the 20th century. The language is direct and explicit on several pages. The content has been purposely chosen to reflect what is happening in society. Speaking openly and directly about sex and sexuality is part of youth culture. Figuring out how to connect with this generation requires a willingness to listen without judging.
We hope that you will find helpful information and ideas that are interesting and stimulating. Leap21 creators also hope that you will go on and engage your colleagues and friends to open up discussion and break the silence on sexual violence that is so devastating. Your every action counts in the life of a youth - it has an impact. What kind of difference are you making?
Read more about the leaps we can make.
Listen to Leap21 advisors:
