The child “welfare” system disproportionately targets Indigenous, Black and racialized families, and too often a disproportionately white media has failed to serve them. Journalists have perpetuated stereotypes about Indigenous and racialized people, serving to uphold a racist child “welfare” system.
During a workshop series organized by The Discourse in 2017, a panel of advocates with lived experience of the system talked about their (mostly negative) experiences with journalists. Indigenous social workers at Surrounded by Cedar Child and Family Services shared stories about how media coverage of the system impacts them and the families they work with. They talked about how they’d like to see journalists show up differently.
SCW was piloted by The Discourse in 2018-19, in response to these calls for better coverage. And there continues to be an urgent need for better reporting.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has called on journalists to improve the way we report on issues impacting Indigenous communities. And Canadian Journalists of Colour and the Canadian Association of Black Journalists have called on journalists to “formally consult with racialized communities about news coverage on an ongoing basis.”
But the news industry is in crisis mode. Many newsrooms lack the capacity to do in-depth, cross-jurisdictional investigative work — or collaborative work that engages community members, honouring their lived expertise. Many journalists lack the training, support and relationships needed to ensure coverage is anti-racist, trauma-informed and meaningful to those impacted by this system.
SCW is committed to:
- Building an informed community of practicing journalists and supporting them with trainings, connections, story ideas and collaborative investigation opportunities
- Creating paid opportunities for people who’ve been through “care” to direct this project and work alongside us
- Supporting people connected to the child “welfare” system to critique media coverage and inform new standard journalistic practices, develop investigation ideas and reporting resources; and participate safely in the reporting process